Summer Lovin'
by Lucky Lips
Summary: Introducing Rory and Tristan to Tree Hill, where anything is possible. Love, hate and everything in between. Pairings? Nothings sacred.
1. Get The Party Started

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**Summer Lovin'**

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Disclaimer: We do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters. We do however own the first season on dvd and _you can't take that away from us_.

_Authors Note: This is fanfiction is based on the first few episodes of One Tree Hill, although events will differ from then on with the entrance of Tristan and Rory, from the Gilmore Girls. __Hope you enjoy! _

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Chapter 1. Get the party started

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'_Hey girl. Guess who's 21st we're invited too? Gary's brother – what's-his-name? I forget. I think it starts with T….but I'm not sure. Gone blank. Anyway enough boring stuff I just wanted to let you know it starts at eight, bring Peyton. Get her out of the house; she's becoming a hermit. There will be drinks supplied and they have a D.J. Okay? Call me if you need more details but ah, drinks supplied and D.J? I think that's all that's important. Be there, it's at Gary's; it is going to go off. Trust me.'_

The click of the receiver was heard loudly after Theresa's euphoric voice ended.

Brooke pressed the stop button on the answering machine.

Going to the Party…easy.

Convincing Peyton to get out of bed…hard.

A 21st was a rare event in One Tree Hill being that everyone fled for something supposedly better almost as soon as they hit legal age.

Brooke wasn't going to let this event slip by without a fight. She flicked on the television to get the weather. It was warm at the moment but it humid and gross, making her hair do funny things.

Brooke half-watched as the forecasters said it might storm.

'No, no, no. Do not do this to me. Damn,' Brooke said aloud to no one but her 'jeans it is then.'

Groaning she turned off the screen. Those guys were doing this because they hate her. They also don't know what they are on about, they said it was going to be hot yesterday and it was freezing. Unreliable weather people. Her dog was better about predicting the weather then those guys.

Grabbing the phone she started dialling the numbers of people that she would have to convince to go.

Broody.

For one thing he needed to have some fun, and she was more then happy to be the one to show him a good time. Yep Lucas was definitely coming.

Nathan? Brooke had to think about this for a second.

He had recently, well semi-recently broken up with her best friend. Peyton was not heart-broken but she was in a dark place at the moment so the decision to call him was 50/50.

Now he was one boy who could party.

She guessed she could call Tim and he would pass on the message like a good little helper.

Brooke sighed. She was too far out for words; already things were falling into place.

-

Haley sat in the front seat of Lucas's car, skimming over his C.D's as she tried to find something suitable to match her mood. As much as she tried, Lucas was a lost cause when it came to picking out anything with a beat.

_What the hell? Violin music?_

'Ah, Lucas. When did we last go music store hunting? Because if I was a stranger to your weird and unusual habits, I would assume you were a blast from the past. You know, from the eighteenth century,' she joked around, snorting as she narrowed her eyes to view some of the small text written on the round disks. Lucas quickly threw a glance at the C.D's in her hand. He pointed to the Kiss album that she held with confusion.

'Hey, what about that one. That one's a classic,' he stated indignantly.

Haley cocked both of her brows and snorted. 'Yeah, whatever. I mean my grandmother liked this band.'

'Well then she would have been an interesting woman to meet, obviously her taste in music wasn't inherited by her granddaughter.' She sucker punched him in the arm and pulled back a layer of brown hair.

'Watch the road.' Lucas's prehistoric cell phone was heard from the back seat of his ute, complaining madly as it jumped around with its powerful vibrations. Haley rolled her eyes. 'Your cars beeping.'

'Can you get that? I would, but I'm kind of driving.' He said, looking back over his shoulder.

'You don't say?' Haley retorted. 'Because I was under the misconception that the car was driving itself.' Twisting around in her chair, she groped blindly around the back seat, her hand accidentally pushing the phone into a crevice causing her to curse out loud when she heard the thud of the phone. 'Never again am I going to do this. Your car is a mess, Lucas, when is the last time you cleaned it out?'

'Hey, I've been busy....'

'Sure you have.' Her body distorted into a weird angle as she retrieved the cell phone, her face flushed from the exertion.

'So who's calling?' Lucas inquired, trying not to take his eyes from the road, but failing miserably. Haley's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

'_Brooke_? What would she want on a Friday night? Lucas.' Glancing over at her best friend in suspicion, she saw him quickly divert his eyes from the phone back to the road.

'Well I guess you're just going to have to find out. Could you please answer it, that ringing is driving me insane.'

Shrugging her shoulders with a heaving sigh, Haley answered the demanding caller. 'Hello, Lucas's phone.' She said, trying to sound chirpy.

'Who is this? And why have you got Lucas's phone?' Haley heard a husky voice demand on the other end of the line. Voice recognition obviously wasn't a strong point for the sassy cheerleader, though she estimated it was more envy over another girl picking up the phone than the reality of who it was.

'Brooke, what do you want?' She asked, her voice sounding bored.

There was a pause.

'How do you know my name? And who are you?' The voice grew suspicious as it lowered.

'Your name was kind of blinking at me through the screen and the whole huskiness was a dead give away. This is Haley by the way, in case you've forgotten. Lucas's best friend.'

'Oh, so I am obviously in his address book. Good. Well tell Lucas that he's invited to Gary's brothers twenty first, its down on old Burnley street, he'll easily spot it trust me. Oh and it starts at eight, tell him he HAS to be there because it is going to be one hell of a party.'

Nodding slightly, Haley agreed to pass on the message and hung up, pulling a strand of hair behind one ear. She wasn't going to dwell on the fact that she was completely ignored by the girl on the phone, bitchiness towards her in particular was very common. Especially when it came to the illegitamit Scott son.

'Yeah, so are you going to tell me what she wanted, or are we going to play twenty questions?' Lucas asked humorously, tapping his steering wheel.

'Well it seems your invited to…Wait, let me get this straight.' Haley scrunched up her nose as she tried to remember word for word what she'd just heard. 'Gary's brothers twenty first? Yeah, I think that's right. She makes it clear that if you aren't there she will not be a very cheerful cheerleader.'

It was Lukes turn to frown as he tried to recall anyone of that name. 'Gary…Gary? Could that be the guy from my basketball team that I've spoken to like once?'

'Well at least you _know_ a Gary. So, what are you going to do? It started at eight.' As if by coincidence the clock ticked over to show precisely nine o'clock.

'Hot chocolate,' the blond stated without any hesitation. 'Then maybe, just maybe, we happen to turn up a little late? To help celebrate Gary's brothers twenty first of course.'

She laughed and stared out the windscreen. 'Yeah, I mean you barely know the guy. Why not? It hasn't stopped us before.'

'So do I need to drop you off to do whatever girls do before a party.'

'What? Getting trapped into doing something with my family? I think I'll pass.'

-

Peyton stared at her sketchbook and frowned. Why was she drawing Lucas? It wasn't like she thought about him. But there he was, his chiselled face and blue eyes stared back at her, contradicting her own thoughts.

'Oh whatever, the drawing sucks anyway.' Peyton said as she ripped the page from her book and was about to scrunch it up. She stopped and looked at it again.

Maybe she would keep it. For now. It wasn't really that bad.

She sat down on the chair by her desk and glanced at the web cam. _Boring day today guys._

With that thought in mind, noise, and a lot of it was starting to make it's way to her room. That could only be one thing. Her best friend, and fellow cheerleader, Brooke.

The door burst open and there she stood, hands on her hips with a pouty look plastered on her face.

'What? Peyton. I told you that party starts at eight. What are you doing wearing….that?' She pointed disgustingly at the grey sweats Peyton liked to wear when she felt lazy.

'Well I don't know if I want to go and get wasted with a bunch of people I see every day at school. I'm kind of over it.' She said this, her voice taking on a monotone pitch as she flopped on her bed.

Her friend was having none of it. 'Oh stop it, you and your moods. It's hard for your best friend to keep track. And we are going, it's lucky I came around early.' Brooke stated as she walked over to Peyton's wardrobe and thrust open the doors looking for something suitable for her to wear.

Peyton sat up on her bed and watched her brown haired friend rummage through her clothes. 'Brooke, it's ten o'clock.'

'Yes that's right.' Brooke turned around giving her a look one gave someone strange. 'Only losers go on time.'

Peyton laughed at her friend. 'And you came up with this theory how?'

'Ah duh! experience.' Brooke pranced around the room, discarding her search, rather preferring to show off her new red halter top to go with her designer jeans. 'You like? I picked it up especially for Lucas.'

Peyton rolled her eyes and scowled. 'Your obsession with that guy has taken on another form of crazy.'

Brooke grinned wildly, her dark eyes flashing at her best friend. 'I know, and he's going to love it.'

Brooke must have spotted the drawing Peyton should have thrown away and made a tsk-tsk with her voice. 'Oh looky here. Now I wonder who else should be joining my lunacy?'

'Oh please. It's just a stupid drawing. He's all yours if you want him.' Peyton said with a flick of her hand.

'Oh I want him.' Brooke picked up the picture and flashed her eyes at Peyton. 'Do you mind if I keep this?'

Peyton wanted to say no, but what would that mean? She could draw another one.

'Sure, he's all yours. Have fun.' Peyton said with sarcasm as she decided to look for something to wear that would compete with her friends outfit.

Brooke kissed the picture and held it up next to her face. 'We are a cute couple aren't we?' Brooke's husky voice asked then she laughed which in turn made Peyton laugh.

Two laughing, crazy cheerleaders. Peyton thought. She could use it for her next comic strip.

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	2. Get Me Out Of Here

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**Summer Lovin'**

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**Disclaimer:** _We do not own the rights to One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls. So please do not sue us as this is meerly for our entertainment. _

_**Authors Note:** Thankyou for the kind reviews everyone! This chapter officially introduces Tristan and Rory from the Gilmore Girls to Tree Hill, as Tristan being Lucas's double, trouble is bound to occur whether they know it or not. _

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**Chapter 2. Get me out of here**

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Rory Gilmore had been invited to stay with her best friend while growing up, Ashley Maher's place to spend her summer holidays together for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. This situation did not go down well with her mother who had already planned their entire summer vacation, _two_ vacations ago.

It took a lot of coaxing and reassuring from Rory to get her to agree. That was why, standing on a green lawn, looking at a house buzzing with what appeared to be drunken guests did not sit well.

Rory glanced across at her friend Ash and threw her an odd look.

'Wait…did you say we were going to gate crash a young man's twenty-first birthday party? Do you know how morally wrong that is? It is so wrong that I can't believe I'm actually doing it.' Rory dug her hands into her suede jacket pockets and let out a defeated sigh. 'There must be a law against what we are about to do.'

Ash looked at Rory from a sidelong view and furrowed her eyebrows in a thoughtful way and frowned. 'I think there is.' Then she smiled and grabbed for her friends hand. 'But don't worry, he'll be cool about it. Anyway I haven't seen you in what, five years? Since we were twelve? Come on, we have to do something outrageously abnormal to strengthen our long distance bond.' The look Ash gave Rory was one of pure pleading, her eyes turned round and melancholy which automatically gave the small round faced girl a look of a puppy dog. Rory hated that look, it made her feel so…guilty.

Rolling her shoulders forward and letting out a whine of protest, Rory was led by the hand up the white porch staircase of the expensive property. She was ready for anything.

How wrong she was.

'Okay, but we cannot drink Ash. What will happen if just say the cops come for a bust and find us intoxicated with some alcohol that is meant for people who are of legal age? What will we do then huh? What will I say to Lorelai? Oh, mum I went to visit one of my best friends who lives in Tree Hill only to get arrested for underage drinking at a twenty-first birthday party we just happened to crash?'

Ash rolled her eyes and laughed. 'Oh my god. I forgot how much you talk.' And followed with another roll of her eyes. 'And stress. You just have to trust your old friend. No cop is going to bust us. People here do this like on a regular basis.' Ash said using her free hand to brush her short brown hair off her face while still pulling the resisting Rory towards the house.

This statement didn't go down well with Rory.

'Yes, you may do this often, but coming from someone who does stress, as you so nicely put it, I may be giving out some sort of vibes to all the cops in town that says "Hey I'm Rory Gilmore! I'm new in town and I'm underage, please arrest me and call my mother, thankyou".' She said in an over exaggerated manner, attracting the attention of some other party goers who were most likely legitimate invitees.

'Oh hush. Come on baby. You can do this, one step at a time.'

Rory huffed and yanked her arm back to fold it over her chest. 'Don't mock me Maher. I'm not a baby.'

Her friend gave a smile, realising her friends weakness. 'Well, then prove it.'

Rory raised her chin a little higher and batted her eyes. 'Fine, but just remember when we get busted, I was the one who was against this in the first place.'

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'Hey look, there is the House of fun.' Brooke stated as she pulled up her mini into the large driveway. The lawn was being used as a parking place too, cars were scattered everywhere.

Luckily Brooke can manage to squeeze into small spaces.

'Oh yeah, fun, fun.' Payten said with a unimpressed glance out the window. 'I can already see someone throwing up outside. Remind me why I'm here again?'Peyton asked her friend who was now applying another layer of lip-gloss to her already over glossed lips.

'Because it's fun and we have nothing else to do.' Brooke stated with a pause on applying her gloss. 'Hel-lo? Do I have to remind you every five minutes that it is a twenty-first!'

Peyton was watching her friend start reapplying the gloss. 'Don't kiss any guys tonight Brooke.' Peytonn stated with a raised eyebrow.

Brooke turned to her with an appalled look. 'What? Why? Did someone say something?'

'No.' Peyton remarked with a laugh. 'Because you could become glued to their lips.' Peyton sarcastically replied as she got out of the silver mini, digging her hands into her back pocket.

'Oh stop acting like a cow.' Brooke stated with a groan of disgust walking away from drivers side of the car.

'I'm not acting like a cow.' Peyton said indignantly turning on her heels to give her friend an irritated scowl.

'Yeah you are. Have fun tonight! Forget about Nathan. You should be so over him by now anyway, there are like so many other guys who are into you. I can make some calls, you know and..' Peyton cut her off with her hand.

'A set up? Oh my god, don't make me barf. I couldn't think of anything worse then maybe finding one myself.'

Brooke ran in front of her with her hands stretched out. 'What I think you need is some yummy tasting alcoholic beverage of some sort and a cute guy, which we're bound to find in there.' Brooke's eyes lit up like a light bulb. 'It's a twenty-first remember!'

'Oh, all right. But what I really feel like doing tonight is sleeping in my bed.' Peyton retorted, her voice raspy.

'With that picture of Lucas?' Brooke inquired, her ears perked up awaiting a response.

'Shut up.' Peyton said with a laugh. 'It was a sketch. It took like two minutes.'

'Two minutes? Wow, you must really like him. I don't ever remember you drawing a picture of Nathan.' Brooke said in a sing-song voice then laughed. 'Don't worry, he's coming. I've called and demanded to that little friend of his to be here.'

Peyton crossed her arms across her chest as they walked towards the house. 'You know Brooke, sometimes you surprise even me. You are so…'

'Incredible? Or maybe incredibly smart or incredibly gorgeous, no wait an incredibly good match maker?'

Peyton looked at her with awe. 'I don't know about all those incredible's you added, but I thought you wanted Lucas?'

'I do and I _will_ get him.'

Peyton stopped and frowned. 'What?'

They passed two girls on the porch who looked to be in some sort of heated discussion. Cops was mentioned and Brooke didn't like it as she threw the unknowing girls an evil look. Peyton didn't think they cared, she did remember vaguely the short dark haired girl from junior high but not the other.

Brooke hurried up the steps to the house and waved her friend in. 'Come on, stop being so you and have some fun. I hear that heavy rocker type of weird music that you like listening to.' Brooke stated trying to entice her friend.

'Okay.' Peyton grumbled as she took off the leather jacket she was wearing. 'but I need a drink.'

Brooke heard that and clapped her hands together. 'Oh yes, that's a good idea.'

&

Tristan DuGrey fixed the collar of his casual white shirt in the mirror of his cousins bedroom, giving himself a once over. He looked good, but that didn't matter, he was only here for the summer. Tristan could look like a vagrant and he couldn't have cared less. If it wasn't for Jake, he wouldn't even have brushed his hair. He has had enough of rules and regulations to last him a lifetime and once over.

'Okay, DuGrey try not to look like you have been cooped up in a military school,' he said to his reflection in the mirror as he raised an eyebrow. 'You're talking to yourself, you do know that don't you?'

The door opened and Jake walked in searching for something that was obviously hidden from site. He was rummaging through the place like a tornado.

'Hey Jake, your looking awfully desperate there, is it a girl?' Tristan said with a hint of sarcasm. He thought his cousin was one of the most normal in his family, if that were possible. Which it seemed to be as Jake was as normal as one could get.

'Ah that would be a surprise, but no. I'm looking for a shirt, mines screwed up.' Jake said as he threw his cousin the wrecked shirt he had been holding. It was torn in multiple places.

Tristan laughed. 'Oh my god man, where the hell have you been? And can I have her number?'

Jake laughed too but on a serious note he grabbed the shirt back and frowned.

'The washer got it.'

'Oh, well that's not good. I think I'll have to do my own washing from now on.'

'Alright shut the hell up man and get ready, I'm not good at being on time and with you here sharing that similar trait, we're twice as late.'

'Yeah that's not good either,' Tristan said going with the flow, leaning against the wall and staring at the basketball trophies on Jake's mantelpiece. 'Nice trophies you have there. Polish them daily?'

Jake found a suitable shirt and pulled it on over his head, paying no attention to his cousins stirring's.

'You are going to get a pleasant surprise at the party man. I got a call from Brooke, you'll like her. She says a few people that I think you're going to want to meet will be coming.'

This got Tristan interested. 'Yeah? Like who?'

'Your doppelganger man. Like spitting image.' When Tristan did not believe him he shrugged his shoulders and smiled. 'Don't believe me then, but it doesn't change the fact that it's true.'

Tristan pointed to his face. 'This face?' It was in a sarcastic manner but he was serious.

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	3. Mistaken Identity

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_**Summer Lovin'**_

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_Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls or any of their characters. We are merely writing this for leisure. No profits are being made! _

_Authors Note:_ _The following thanks goes out to, babs08, NovStar, Melphis, Amanda, Sleepneeded911 and maliek. Thank you for the feedback and we hope you enjoy the latest chapter!_

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Chapter 3. Mistaken Identity

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'My life has been devoid of any true beauty until now. I've seen the face of an angel and I'm going to find her. Tonight.' Tim stated shoving French fries into his mouth and chewing quickly in determination.

Nathan, sitting opposite him in the diner booth gave him the expression that only Nathan Scott could give. 'What _are_ you on? And what the hell are you talking about?'

Thrusting some chips in Nathan's face Tim raised his voice in dramatics. 'The love of my life! I don't know her name but I will find out.'

'Tonight?' Nathan finished off his sentence.

'That's right,' his friend said with a nod.

Nathan shook his head in pity.

'Well I wish you luck on your quest for true love but lets just focus on getting to the party in one piece. I don't know what you've taken, but it must be nasty.'

Tim disagreed with his arms flying in different directions, knocking over his drink with the example. 'Love, my man, is never nasty.'

Nathan looked from the spilled drink back to his friends reddened face. 'You've been drinking too haven't you?'

Tim looked guilty. 'Just a little bit.'

'Well thanks for sharing,' he said as he took a sip of his coke, thankfully not knocked down by Tim's expression of love. 'I think I may be doing the driving.'

'Oh thank you Mr Driving Miss Daisy.'

Nathan held back a smile as he sat lower in his chair. 'Tim. That would mean you are Miss Daisy.'

Tim didn't register this fact. He just laughed.

An older waitress on skates rolled up to them and smiled thinly. She didn't seem too impressed with Tim's behaviour as she was gave him a cold stare, which of course Tim didn't notice. 'Listen boys, this place doesn't accept this kind of behaviour.'

Before Tim got his two cents in Nathan stood up and smiled.

'Hey no problem, we were just leaving. Come on Tim, it's almost ten-thirty already.'

Tim laughed. 'Party Time!'

--

Jake pulled into Penny's dinner and parked next to an old fashioned intercom. The town had restored the old fifties dinner to it's original glory, even right down to the roller-skating waitresses. Jake thought it was a laugh.

Tristan stuck his head out of the half opened window and ordered just about everything on the menu, letting everyone within earshot know how hungry he was.

Jake got to wondering if his cousin brought his wallet.

Once Tristan finished up his order, a group of girls pulled up next to them giggling. Tristan smiled and gave them the nod. 'Hello ladies. You're looking fine tonight.'

Jake leaned over too and smiled. 'Hey girls.'

The four young ladies in the car looked them over in apparent amusement and fell into fits of giggles.

'Smooth DuGrey. Very smooth. Now can you please get your head out of the window, the trays are coming.'

Tristan punched Jake's shoulder as he grinned. 'Very smooth yourself.' Mimicking his cousins line.

Tristan looked at the roller-skating girl holding three carry-out bags and having difficultly. Tristan thought an apology was in order. 'Hey sorry about that. I didn't think me being hungry would cause you so much trouble.' Tristan rolled down his window further as he helped the girl with the bags.

The girl blushed and batted her long dark eyelashes.

'No problem Lucas.' She waited there for a moment longer.

Tristan nodded, not wanting to embarrass the girl any further for her apparent mistaken identity. He smiled as she skated away.

Tristan gave a sidelong glance at his cousin and his lips quirked up in amusement. 'I must look like a Lucas?'

'Nah, Lucas looks likes a Tristan.' Jake made a point, shrugging his shoulders and turning the key to the ignition of his car.

'Cool. Works for me.' Tristan said opening one of the bags of food and grabbing a handful of fries. 'Man I'm starving. I could eat a whole cow.'

'That bag probably consists of a whole cow.' Jake said with a laugh then stopped. 'Wait. I've got to get something from inside. I'll be back in five.'

This did not impress Tristan.

'Well I'm not going to wait in the car. Give me some credit. I may just take a walk.' He put the takeaway food bags on the back seat as he stepped out of the car. Tristan ran a hand through his shaggy blond hair as he glanced around the joint. Not a bad crowd for a little town.

'Fine, but be back here in five minutes.' His cousin warned.

'Five minutes.' Tristan said looking at his Rolex. 'Sure. Ten forty-five. No sweat.'

--

Driving along the main street, Haleys hand made quick gestures in front of Lucas Scott's face, pointing towards the teenage hang-out that was none other then Penny's Diner. Lucas frowned at his friends odd behaviour.

'Hales, are you trying to cause an accident, or did you just think it would be a fun idea to blind me while I'm driving?'

Haley rolled her eyes and slapped his arm.

'No, you idiot. Pull over, I need to go to the ladies room.' Seeing Lucas give her a mocking glance, she sighed dramatically. 'Please?'

'That place is so cliched, I can't believe you like it there.'

'I don't, I just…Lucas, stop being a pain in the ass and pull over. I'm being serious,' Haley exclaimed. 'I really need to go! I wouldn't make something like that up just so I could hang out at Penny's, trust me on that.'

Lucas glanced at her again and he shrugged his shoulders, his eyes revealing his playful nature. 'Alright, fine, you managed to black mail me so easily. But whats the score now? Ten to one in my favour.'

'Eight to one, and I don't count that as a favour, I count that as common decency,' Haley stated as Lucas parked his ute into the busy car park.

'Why are so many people here? It's like almost eleven o'clock. Do these people have nothing else to do then eat?'

'Well most people need food to live.' Grabbing the handle of the car, Haley jumped out of his ute.

'Back in just a minute,' she said and started for the diner.

--

Swinging open the door from the ladies room, Haley heard a loud groan of pain as the door slammed into a heavy object. Biting her bottom lip, Haley knew that sound wasn't good.

Peeking around the door, she saw Lucas holding a hand to his chest in mock pain. She frowned as she looked over his clothes, thinking that she was going insane, she was sure he was wearing something else just a second ago.

'Lucas, what are you doing in here? I thought you hated this place?' She questioned as she grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the swinging door.

'Hey, don't knock the burgers, they're top class for fast food. Anyway…Lucas? Interesting. And you like Lucas?'

'Cute,' Haley said sarcastically. 'Some people think that third person speak is an onset of insanity.'

'Only if your the third person.' The Lucas look-alike said with a waggle of his finger.

Haley appeared puzzled.

'I've left you for five minutes and already you've made yourself a new friend,' she said, shaking her head in amusement.

'I know. It's sad isn't it.' The blond replied with a smile, showing off his set of dimples while his eyes shined menacingly. 'Well I've got to run. The cars waiting. 10:50pm to the dot. I've been warned you see.'

'Oh-kay.' Haley said, raising her eyebrows as she pulled back a strand of hair. 'Well, while your in la-la land, I'll be over there…picking up a drink. Nothing with alcohol because obviously your dehydrated and delusional.'

'This Lucas is a lucky guy isn't he?' He said with a grin and a wink in her direction. 'Are you going to that party?'

Haley sighed in exasperation at his strange behaviour and crossed her arms over her chest. 'You mean the party that we're going to _together_?'

'That's the one. I'll be seeing you then.' He smiled again at her, showing a cute dimple as he left the diner, looking back. 'I'll be keeping an eye out for you.'

Haley ran a hand over her forehead in awe, he really made it clear that he didn't really want to be here.

After picking up her drink from the counter, she made her way back to the car, to find Lucas sitting in the drivers seat tapping the steering wheel impatiently.

'What took you so long?' Lucas inquired, as she passed him a large soft drink and glanced at his clothes.

'Right. Are you doing this to drive me insane, or is this some sick joke?'

Lucas gave her a questioning look and Haley bit her bottom lip as he continued to stare at her in question. Haley got the impression that he had no idea what she was talking about, so she quickly motioned for them to leave.

'You're right, I don't like this place either. Lets go.'


	4. Play

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_**Summer Lovin'**_

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_Disclaimer: We disclaim the ownership of Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, aswell as the music titles that we use to name our chapters with._

_Authors Note:Again, thanks for the lovely feedback. Hope you enjoy the latest instalment! _

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Chapter 4. Play

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As the Northern Carolina scenery flew by; so did Tim's car. It raced down the road taking the corners with ease, it's windows open to the dark night letting in a torrent of strong bitter wind that both Nathan and Tim ignored.

Nathan at the wheel of the vehicle, flicked on some music that played loudly, waking up the deserted forested road they were travelling down to get to Gary's.

"Do you think Picton's going to mess with us tonight?" Tim asked, slouched back in his chair; only his head moved in the asking of the question, "Cause I heard they want a rumble."

Nathan stepped on the accelerator increasing the speed down the road, the powerful headlights smashing through the darkness. "Why would they want to? We're the one who holds up the championship cup every year."

Tim, still kind of wasted laughed. "Yeah but the cheerleaders, Nathan, the cheerleaders they are incredible. If I was on their basketball team I would suck too."

Raising an eyebrow Nathan threw his friend a smirk that played out nicely through his words. "Who said you don't now?"

"Hey don't get like that. I'm just saying I would give my right arm to get with the head cheerleader." Tim said.

Holding onto the sarcasm Nathan replied, "you'd have to give more then your right arm to get with her. She's got standards from what I hear."

Another car flying down the road picked up there pace and levelled their car to the opposite side of the road, so they could talk.

It was Nick from their team. A tall guy with a fiery temper and he had more height then talent. He wound down the window and shot the guys a fierce look. "Hey, meet you at Valley Point lookout. I've got news." He then shot out in front of their vehicle and sped away into the distance.

"What the hell was that all about?" Nathan asked with a raised eyebrow through the windscreen watching the red sports car disappear into the distance.

"Told you man; It's Picton throwing down the gauntlet. They want vengeance after we destroyed them last season." Tim said, "bout time too."

Valley Point lookout wasn't a far drive; it was tucked in a corner of the long road and overlooked exactly what they were driving through. Vast spaces covered in trees.

"Yeah only because you want to hook up with a warrior cheerleader." Nathan stated, flicking the station on the radio to one that suited his mood, a concoction of darkness, angst and a hint of melancholy. He was thinking about Haley. He was always thinking of Haley. Nathan probably thought more about her then Tim obsessed about that Warrior chick. It was sad.

Tim rubbed his face with his hands, wiping away the groggy expression that was apparent since six o'clock, after his first beer. "You should think about swapping to Warriors, after Peyton and what's that new one called?"

"Haley." Nathan snapped.

Tim didn't feel the negativity enter the air and kept on talking. "Yeah Haley. She's smart. Why is she after you again?" Tim was only doing what Nathan in turn had done to him but unlike Tim, Nathan did not have a sense of humour when it came to his relationships.

"Shut the hell up Tim."

"Hey I'm just saying."

"Well don't."

"All right. But Haley is not really your type now is she?"

Before Nathan had any chance to respond, they had arrived at the lookout. The area was a spherical extension to the road and it was enough to fit four cars comfortably.

Valley Point lookout wasn't generally used for looking out at anything, it was more of a social site for anyone with a car and a girl.

Nathan pulled Tim's car expertly in behind Nick's and turned off the ignition. Stepping out of the vehicle they met with the tall red head with a body like the hulk and a head to match. He may not be as skilful as many of the team but he was good for intimidation.

Nods were exchanged.

"Hey Nick. What's the story?" Nathan asked.

Nick leaned back on his sports car and flexed his muscles with a long stretch. An indication that he was preparing himself for an event.

"There is a meet down in the park. Picton has laid down the challenge. Rumour is they got Rivers on their team now, moved down from Lavers High."

Russ Rivers was the son of a dynasty of basketball players, similar to that of the Scotts. The only difference between Nathan and Russ was that Rivers wasn't interested in playing, and rarely did. On the occasion when he felt like a game, he could lift a crappy team like Lavers to a third place on the season's ladder. He was a tough competitor and when he played it was a game that any respectable player wanted to be apart of.

Nathan looked at Tim who wore a disgusted look. "I thought Rivers dropped out last semester."

Their team mate was in agreement but was keen on the idea of a confrontation. "That's what I thought too but I want to see for myself. You in?"

"Hell yeah. When is it?" Nathan asked.

"Right now."

Without hesitation Nathan responded. "We're there."

Tim who had made himself a seat on the beat-up metal railing blockading the road from the lookout protested. "But what about Gary's?"

Nick answered. "He's not going to stay at the party Tim. When he finds out about the game he'll be at the court. Coming?"

The red head didn't wait for an answer. He pounded Nathan on the shoulder and got into his car faster then either of them had ever seen him move, before tearing up the gravel road with the thick tires. They watched as the red vehicle disappeared quickly in the distance yet again, the dust from the hasty departure still hanging in the air.

"Ready?" Nathan asked before getting into the car and flicking on the headlights.

"All right." Tim said reluctantly as he got into the passenger seat before Nathan kicked the car in first and sped out of the turn-off back onto the dark road.

"I wonder if the head cheerleader will be there? More importantly for you, will Haley be there? I understand man, she's kind of hot isn't she?" Tim said and it pissed Nathan off.

"Tim what did I tell you?" Nathan flicked an angry look at Tim, not bothering to focus back on the road.

"What?"

"I told you to shut the hell up." Nathan raised her voice and gripped the steering wheel tighter.

Tim replied, not fully understanding the hole he was digging himself in. "Yeah but this is my car. I'm allowed to talk."

"So you are refusing to shut up about Haley?" Nathan questioned, his jaw tightening with every second that flew by.

Tim snorted. "Yep."

Nathan slammed on the breaks in the black night taking the car to a grinding halt before leaning over Tim and opening the door for him.

"Get out."

Tim looked from the open door to his so called friend and frowned. "Nathan don't play around."

"Out. Your car will be at the park if you want it back." Nathan finalised the comment with a vengeful stare that Tim didn't like.

"Nathan don't do this. Come on we're buddies. I was just joking."

Tim got out of the car, not realising his friend was serious with his threats and watched in awe as the car drove furiously away down the road, the flickering lights of the headlights fading into the distance.

&

Tristan could feel the heat of the summer night fill the air of the out door pool party. He stared at the water in trepidation and watched as people threw around an inflatable beach ball, each splashing around the pool groping their way towards it.

He smiled stiffly, ruffling the back of his head as he gazed around the backyard spotting plenty of people he knew from school. Most of them were in the same situation as he was, being sent off to military in an unworldly way. Glancing back down at the blue translucent water, he decided that he would return a little bit later, when he would hopefully have the pool to himself. Laps is what he did to get his mind off things that were bothering him, mindless laps, and plenty of thinking.

A noise interrupted the his line of though.

"Hey Tristan! Where have you been man?" Glancing around, Tristan sighed heavily as an image of Gary waving around cans of god knows what filled his line of view, but what got him more interested was the girl that stood beside him, looking uncomfortable and quite out of place.

He had seen her before. Recalling the scene in the diner, he automatically touched his ribs. Haley was it? It looked like he was going to have to check this one out.

Walking towards Gary on the back porch, he raised his hand and slapped the short guy on the shoulder.

"Gary, Gary, Gary. What have you been up too? I haven't seen you in like what…a year?"

Gary shrugged his shoulders, snorting slightly. "Who knows. So, how are things? Have you seen anything you like yet?"

Tristan thought that the question couldn't have been asked at a better time. Peering over Gary's shoulder, he saw the pretty dark haired girl hunch over slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest; giving the floor an unhealthy greasy.

"Yeah….I think so," Tristan said, not taking his eyes of her in case she disappeared. It was a pretty big party after all, and Tristan didn't like the idea of searching around all night. "I'll be back."

Gary raised a curious eyebrow at him, but didn't ask any further questions. "Sure. If you need a drink, you know where to find me."

"Sure. I'll just follow the line of drunk seniors."

Gary's round blue eyes took on a mischievous look. "Ha. Exactly."

Tristan patting his friend on the shoulder one last time, brushed past him, all the while eyeing the girl up from the diner, pleased with what he saw. She was wearing a baggy green sweater with faded blue jeans that even though seemed old and worn, still complemented her legs nicely.

Stepping up behind an unobservant Haley, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear playfully, "I was beginning to think you stood me up."

Haley jolted at the sound of his voice, spinning on her heel she came face to face with him. Touching her forehead, she grinned.

"Oh, its you Luke. I thought that you know, you were someone else."

Intrigued. Tristan raised an eyebrow and leaned forward.

"Luke? Ah, Lucas is it? Okay, I can handle that. So what are you doing standing here looking all pretty and lonesome?"

Haley crossed her arms again, but this time it appeared amused as she rose an eyebrow.

"Gosh, Luke. I was waiting for you, if that's too hard to imagine."

Tristan eyed Haley up in undisguised appraisal. "Well I'm worth waiting for."

Haley eyeballed the floor, and let out a short laugh. "Oh-kay. Are you on something Luke? How many fingers am I holding up?" She asked teasingly, displaying three fingers in the air.

Tristan frowned, pretending to concentrate.

"One?"

"Okay, Lukey boy. Lets find you somewhere to sit. The alcohol must be absorbing into the air, because I'm feeling a little giddy myself and I haven't even touched a drink yet. Besides, some of these guys standing around us have been giving me odd looks for the past five minutes and its beginning to creep me out."

Tristan nodded his head, smirking as she grabbed him by the elbow and steered him off the porch towards the more crowded area of the party. Loud booming music was playing and people were dancing around mindlessly, appearing to be just doing it for the sake of it. Tristan shook his head. No way would he dance to that crap, somebody would have to pay him a lot of money before he would lower himself to that level.

Staring at Haley's backside as she pulled him along, he had to admit that she was definitely something. The first time he had seen her in the diner, a light had flickered into his eyes and he was suddenly reminded of the girl who he had left behind and who hadn't really wanted him, Rory Gilmore. He frowned at the memory.

Only this time there is no Dean Forester to get in his way.

Just this Lucas he had heard so much of. Who was this guy anyway? Some sort of local hero?

Stepping into what appeared to be garage of sorts, he glanced around the dark, semi-small room and smirked as he saw that it was completely decimated. Twisting around on the balls of his feet he watched as Haley rubbed the back of her head and gave him a sheepish grin.

"I'm not implying anything, so don't get any idea's. This relationship is strictly Joey-Dawson free." She laughed out loud, seeing the look of interest in his face. He took a cocky step forward, finding comfort by stuffing his hands in the front pockets of his navy blue blazer. Dawsons Creek. He absolutely detested the show. What fuelled his hate for it though, was the amount of people who would comment on how he resembled the character Charlie. The subject in the end got him very agitated.

Haley sighed as she leaned against the brick wall. Finding himself in a very intriguing situation Tristan tilted his head to the side and gave her a suave, lopsided grin. He was wondering what to put her down as; definitely not a Mary, although she had that innocent girl next door look, but there was something that made her unique. Something that Tristan wanted to get to the bottom of.

Leaning forward in his usual flirty manner, he rested his arm against the adjacent brick wall, and watched as Haley took a step backwards laughing in confusion.

Placing her hand against his chest, she reprimed him before he could get any closer. "Whoa Luke, talk about raging hormones. You know there are such things as boundaries and limits. Oh, and people called Brooke and Peyton."

Tristan leaned in further, noticing how Haley appeared puzzled. It could have been the fact that he was finding humour in her discomfort, but he was actually finding her shyness quite refreshing. When his school mingled with the bordering girls school for monthly get togethers, he was constantly surprised at how desperate and full on some of the girls were. Placing his other arm against the wall, he enclosed her fully, smirking at how easy it was to make her blush.

"Brooke and Peyton?" He asked, giving her his trademark smirk.

Haley rolled her eyes, as she crossed her chest self consciously. "Not this topic please. It gives me a headache just thinking about it."

"So you're jealous of these two girls?"

"What? No!" Pausing, she frowned. "What's going on Lucas? You've been acting really strange. Have you been seriously drinking?"

Tristan scrunched up his face and nodded his head slightly. "A little. But hey, it's a party what else would Lucas be doing?"

"He wouldn't be speaking in third person that's what. Why are you acting like this? You haven't been this full on since we were thirteen, and at that time you had this strange idea that I liked you."

He laughed shortly at that remark.

"I'm not really myself today," he replied, smirking playfully as Haley's frown deepened.

"I can tell. You know if Karen sees you like this, consider yourself dead."

Tristan tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. Karen must be Lucas's mother. Either that or this guy got around.

"I'm not drunk enough to not know what I am doing."

Haley bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Good. Because I would hate to see you make a jack ass of yourself."

"I try." Touching a lock of her wavy brown hair, she pushed his hand away and sidestepped out of his reach. Frowning deeply, she edged towards the door crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's going on Luke?"

Tristan moved from his leaning stance and took on a more defensive look. The air around them seemed to still and the all ready dim room seemed to darken. Tristan placed his hands in the back pockets of his trousers feeling agitated, he knew that Haley was unaware of his identity but it almost seemed ridiculous that she _still_ didn't have any idea that they were two different people. Come on, he was Tristan DuGrey.

"This game you're playing, you know, me being your best buddy...it's beginning to get old." Seeing the confused look on Haley's face, he leaned forward on the balls of his feet and continued, "I mean you can't really think I'm the same guy?"

Haley shook her head, gazing down at the concrete floor before glancing back up at him with narrowed eyes. "You know what, you're right. It can't be you, because the Lucas I know wouldn't say stuff like that."

Moving further away from him, she shook her head disgustedly.

"You can forget about giving me a lift home. I don't know what is up with you Lucas, but maybe when you're back to normal we can have a proper conversation."

Tristan frowned as he watched Haley storm out into the noisy backyard that they had previously left, passing Jake who just happened to be walking by.

Jake stuck his head through the open door way and gave his cousin a questioning look. Tristan shrugged.

He hadn't received that sort of treatment since his last year of Chilton when Rory Gilmore had entered the picture. It was almost like history was repeating itself, except this time it wasn't Mary that was getting irritated by him…but it might as well been. He couldn't understand it, girls generally fell at his feet by the use of his smooth moves, but then again maybe he was losing his touch. Leaning against the wall feeling drained of energy, Tristan rubbed the back of his head and glanced at his cousin who gestured towards him.

"Haley. She didn't look too happy. Should I even ask?"

Tristan shook his head absent mindlessly, and watched as Jake hit his shoulder.

"You coming to the showdown?"

Tristan glanced at his cousin and frowned. "Showdown?"

"Yeah. The ravens are having a showdown with another team. It will be interesting to see, you should come. Maybe you can even join in on the action."

Tristan glanced back at the party, and shrugged his shoulders, losing interest in whatever it had to hold.

"Footballs more my thing."

Jake grinned. "Yeah, I never truly believed that anyone could suck so much at basketball until I saw you play. Man, that was sore on the eyes." Jake paused, then shook his head as if a thought just struck him. "Imagine if they put you in on Lucas's place. We'd get completely screwed into the ground."

Tristan flinched, offended. He wasn't that bad. So he had the habit of throwing the ball to the opposite team, but how the hell was he supposed to know who was who when the teams uniforms were so much alike.

"Dude, you just caught me on a bad day!"

Jake nodded his head, raising his eyebrows as if he didn't truly believe him. "Whatever you say man. So you coming?"

Tristan straightened up suddenly; a fascinating thought entered his head. Wiping at the corner of his mouth, his mind ticked over. "Maybe I should take that offer after all."


	5. Let's Drive

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_**Summer Lovin'**_

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_**Disclaimer:** We do not own anything One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls related._

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**Chapter 5. Let's Drive.**

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Rory Gilmore wasn't sure what was going on, or if what was going on was normal, but if this was a party then she was glad she had never been totally into the partying scene.

Being that her home town of Stars Hollow wasn't exactly party central, she knew that tonight was going to be a new experience.

A new experience was right, but that didn't necessarily make it a good thing.

One person caught her attention, a short guy with red hair and freckles was jumping circuitously, tossing his head around to the loud, heavy music and she wondered if he was dancing or if he was having some kind of epileptic fit.

It came down to the cold hard truth, the people that surrounded her were so wasted that they couldn't walk in a straight line, and if out of curiosity she were to ask them to walk in a straight line they would probably do so just to prove how sober they were.

Which would have been funny, had she not been cornered by one of them.

'Look ah, Bill was it?' Rory said turning her head away from some very potent and offensive odour that was emanating from her new friends mouth. 'I'm not really interested in getting into any sort of relationship at the moment. Sorry.'

Why did every second guy at this party think that being some sort of beer loving Casanova would appeal to her? Was she sending out some sort of 'Love me I'm lonely' vibes? Because she had been approached like ten times all by intoxicated hot guys who asked her if she needed any company.

Rory had to admit this Bill guy wasn't bad looking, he had the spiked hair thing going, but he reeked of vodka. It was almost as if he soaked in it previously just to make sure the stuff was absorbed into his pores. And his speech was kind of on the slurred side too.

Rory decided that as good looking as he was, she wasn't _that_ lonely.

Being that she was put in an uncomfortable situation, Rory had to wonder where her friend was and why she wasn't coming to her rescue?

She hoped Ash hadn't been kidnapped by one of these inebriated guys. The guy who was chatting to Ash happily only a moment ago had a strange glint in his eyes.

It could have been the lighting but she wasn't to be sure.

Taking control of the awkward situation, before giving her new friend a chance to respond, she ducked under an arm that he was holding out on the wall and moved fast, like a sprinter.

Lorelai would have been proud of her athleticism.

The fact that she had to hide behind a tall pot plant was something she would not be proud of and was glad only strangers would witness it.

So she stood there, like a fool, until she was satisfied the drunken Bill guy was busing himself talking to another girl.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she took to scanning the room, hoping her friend would pop up like a jack-in-the-box and that they could get out of there.

Rory figured they could be any number of weirdos or sociopaths in this very one room and they wouldn't even know.

Leaning up against the wall, still perched behind the pot plant, she was preparing herself for a full on assault to find Ash when she noticed a familiar guy staring at her.

The music that was playing did not match the image before her, it was Three Doors Down's song 'Here without you'. Before her, on the opposite end of the room full of loud, body wiggling people stood a solid blond figure with piercing blue eyes drilling into hers.

"Tristan?" She wasn't sure if she said it out loud but with the memory of the name, matched to the chiselled face staring directly at her brought a surge of blood to her face. "Did I just wander into the twilight zone or is some sort of cosmic punishment?" She said this mainly to herself, looking around the room frantically for her friend. She needed to get out of the house. Even though it was large, the air was seeming to vanish and it was feeling very, very small.

This was when Rory knew it was either run out the front door and get some air, or risk hyperventilating with the possibility of passing out. Considering she hadn't even been drinking she thought the former was a better option.

As she dashed outside onto the large wooden porch and she ran straight into the arms of the person she was looking for.

"Miss me much?" Ash replied with a wry smile as she was flung back onto the porch railing hitting her funny bone and doing a pain ridden dance in demonstration.

Rory ignored the comment and her obvious pain. "Ash, where have you been? I have been looking for you. I was worried that you were kidnapped by some crazy, sick lunatic while I was inside facing my mortal enemy." A few party stragglers wandered by and started singing loudly, heading for their vehicles. Shouting something about crushing Picton Warriors to which Ash gave them the finger.

Ash turning back and always on her game, replied. "Bad dancing?"

"Oh haha very funny Miss Maher but I am serious. I saw Tristan DuGray in there. Tristan DuGray." Rory held a hand to her head as if not believing what she was saying. Even as she repeated his name it was hard to imagine with the population as large as there's she could run into her tormentor at a obscure 21st birthday party. It didn't sit well. There was something about that guy that drove her into a deranged state of mind.

"Tristan DuGray? Is that name supposed to mean something to me?" Her friend asked, "because at the moment I'm to busy being in pain to recall." Ash raised her voice as she stamped her foot. Rory scoffed at her, knowing her old friend did not fully understand the magnitude of the situation.

"Yes, it should. I wrote to you about it every day. Chilton." Rory reminded her as she pulled her friend away from the front house windows, out of sight until they were tucked away into the shaded part of the house, with a leaning tree sending waves of cold air towards them until they were hugging themselves, shivering.

It was at that moment, in the depths of bitter coldness that a thought struck her like a blow to the guts.

She was in _his_ turf. _He_ was the one who was attending military school in North Carolina. Not her.

Oh god. Unlike her he probably didn't have to gate crash. He may actually have received an invitation which stated in most likely the most agreeable penmanship,_ 'Tristan, you are cordially invited to Gary's brothers 21st birthday'_. Rory groaned. She hoped not.

"Wait, Chilton Tristan? You mean the I-hate-you Tristan? The devil-spawn Tristan? The I'll-call-you-Mary Tristan?" Rory realised that she wrote too much in her letters to Ash, not realising that the recipient would actually memorise her letters by rote.

"Okay so you remember. Yes that's the Tristan." Rory felt sick. She was overreacting. She did not have anything to calm her nerves, and she was going into hyperdrive. Ashley knew her well but she didn't know how to control her spiralling emotional crisis, instead she tended to join them.

"Well we can get out of here. There is a killer basketball game on down at the court. It's going to be great. My guys against Tree Hill High. Unbelievable." Ash got exited about sports, being a cheerleader this was helpful. Thus the reason for the one finger salute to the Ravens supporters.

Rory didn't care, she could happily cheer on a game of lawn bowls just to get her away from this party. Away from her nemesis.

"Ash you are getting rusty in your old age. In my state of mind, you do not ask questions, you lead me away while I babble incoherently." Rory reminded as she was quickly followed down the steps of the porch and to the old Toyota that belonged solely to Ash.

"Cool. Let's take this party to the road." Retrieving her keys while smiling over the roof of the car she squealed, "This is going to be so much fun. You're going to be a warrior cheerleader."

It was pitch black by then, and they could barely see two feet ahead.

Although Rory did not like this idea she climbed into the car, knowing that she shouldn't argue with the driver of an almost un-roadworthy vehicle.

When they were a half decent distance away Rory let out a sigh of relief.

Never again was she going to listen to Ash when she said there was a major party on. To Rory it will translate to Major disaster, something she could happily pass up on a Friday night.

While driving Ashley was fiddling around with her old radio player that did not have a CD component but rather old fashioned tapes. She could only pick up the oldies classics so she let that hummed through cheerfully.

The heating didn't work either which was unfortunate because they were freezing.

"Do you know Tree Hill High has got a great basketball record?" Ash said out of the blue, probably trying to take their minds of the cold, but instead it caused Rory to raise an eyebrow. Like basketball was high on her priority list.

Rory shook her head, she couldn't focus she was too busy thinking of Blondie, and it wasn't the band she was referring too. "Tristan looked right at me. He looked right at me like I was a black hole. It was like he didn't even know who I was. You would think that after a year of torturing me he could give the decency of actually remembering me. Don't you think?" Rory flicked at her silky brown bangs that draped in her sight.

"Ror, please don't obsess. I thought you hated him."

Rory nodded her head. "I do. I think. I know I don't like him if that's what your insinu…." before she had a chance to finish her sentence she squinted her eyes into the darkness outside as she saw a dark figure walking in the unlit forested street. "Is that a person walking?"

Ash, being the alert driver that she was slammed on the breaks, until a loud screeching sound filled in the air and burn rubber could be smelt.

Two inches from her bumper bar stood a shocked figure holding a hand to his heart and a drained colour to his face. Even in the dark Rory could tell he knew he was lucky to be breathing.

"Oh my god. I nearly killed someone." Ash said pointing out the obvious. Rory and her looked at each other and in unison opened the door to greet the person who may have complicated their lives, just that little bit more.

The guy stood there and turned to each of them, obviously still reeling from his near death experience. "You almost killed me."

Ash got aggravated, as she did in stressful situations. "Well who was the one walking in the middle of a dark, deserted road? What were you doing, rehearsing to be roadkill?"

The guy didn't know what to say he just stood there arms outstretched as if he was waiting for something to fall into his hands. Then like a light from above a smile emerged on his face and he glowed. He was looking directly at Ash.

"You're the one." He said towards the angry girl.

This caused confusion for them both. Rory turned to Ash and Ash turned to Rory as if to say _What the..?_

"Excuse me?" Ash replied crossing her arms across her chest. Rory mimicked the action and frowned. It hadn't occurred to Rory until that moment that this day was going to be one of the weirdest in her short life.

"You're the one I've been looking for all night. You're the love of my life." He continued, reaching toward her as if he were trying to engulf Ash in a warm embrace. Rory laughed. She couldn't help it. He must have been intoxicated, either that or he was suffering from post traumatic stress from almost being flattened.

"Okay we're going to get into the car now, very slowly. Don't make any sudden movements buster because I know Karate." Ash said edging her way slowly back to the car and giving Rory the _run when I say run _look.

This stressed Rory out, she hadn't had to use that since they were seven.

"Wait. We can't just leave him here in the middle of nowhere. Someone might really kill him next time." Rory replied still looking at the guy like he was a lost deranged puppy.

Rory smiled when she realised he was staring back at her. "You. What's your name?"

He grinned back, thankful that they weren't planning on leaving him there. "Tim. Tim Smith and you're from Picton High cheerleading squad right?" Directing his question to Ashley who gave a half hearted smile.

"Yeah that's right. I thought you were kind of familiar. Are you on the Ravens basketball squad?"

"Yep, I'm trying to get to the game now."

"Walking?" Rory questioned confused. She wondered what happened to his car. He was in the middle of the forest.

Ash glanced at her, and shrugged her shoulders as if to say '_he's not that bad._

"Okay well since were going there, you can tag along.' Ash offered. Rory looked her over and found that she was loving this adoration.

When they climbed in and the car started moving again Rory turned around in her seat and looked at Tim who was snuggled into the corner looking at the back of Ash's head with adulation in his eyes.

Rory stifled back a laugh. "Have you been drinking?"

Tim looked at Rory suspiciously and raised an eyebrow. "What are you a cop?"

The absurdity of the comment caused her to take on a sarcastic edge. "Yes, I'm an undercover sixteen year old cop who's going to bust your ass for drinking and walking in the dark."

Tim got the sarcasm and gave her a pistol action with his hand. "Right."

So they drove on, the old melodies humming through the antique radio while Ash kept glancing back at their new passenger in her rear view mirror.

"We are really rude, we haven't even introduced ourselves. This lovely lady over here is my closest friend in the world, Rory Gilmore and I'm Ashley Maher.'

Tim was happy with this revelation, now he could place a name to her angelic face.

What followed was general chitchat, which he could manage successfully. Not as drunk as he once was after being dumped on the side of the road by his so called friend; the walk had sobered him up for the most part.

It was an easygoing environment that they had created, Tim was cracking jokes while Rory laughed and told him to shut up. Ash found swerving was helpful too. That was until Tim had to jinx it by getting serious.

"Hey I haven't thanked you guys for picking me up yet. You saved my life, there was no way I would have gotten to the game otherwise." He thanked them in his slight drawl while he wound down a little of the window, letting some fresh air into the car.

Rory felt a shiver run through her body from a wave of icy air. "Oh, cold."

"Sorry." Tim apologised as he hastily returned the window to the closed state. He then took to sniffing the air. "Hey you guys, do you smell that?"

Ash frowned and sampled the air. "Nope."

Rory however had a keen sense of smell and had noticed that it too had a tang in the air, especially when Tim wound up the window. "I do too. It smells like burnt hair."

The Ravens basketball player added. "Or burnt chicken wings."

Just then the car revealed it's dirty little secret by way of smoke through the bonnet. They all screamed, not because the car was smoking but because Ash had panicked and started swerving the car from one side of the road to the other.

"Slow down and pull over." Tim shifted his position in the car so he was leaning onto the drivers seat behind Ash, giving this instruction to her calmly. Rory was thankful to have one semi-composed person among them; she was no help to her friend. Rory had shut her eyes tight and gripped onto the door handle and it was likely that Ash did too.

"Oh my god." Ash screamed as she slowed the car down to the correct side of the road, on a little embankment that was conveniently situated for their emergency. "My stars did not say today would be a horrible time to drive my car."

Rory squealed when the car came to a halt and raised her hands in the air thankful to be alive. Never again was she going to sit in a car ride with Ash. Not only was she a dangerous driver but also she had absolutely no luck.

First almost hitting a pedestrian then having her car going up in smoke.

Silence ensued, then laughter erupted that really made no sense. None of them were happy about what had happened but it seemed to be a result of the adrenalin kick that they were served.

As they couldn't just sit in the broken down car and play charades, although that was suggested, they emerged from the defective car with Tim popping the lid and fanning the smoke the billowed up from the mechanics.

"I'd say it's busted."

Wrapping her arms around herself Rory gave a lopsided grin.

"I'd second you on that. Smoking parts don't look healthy."

Ash crossed her arms over her chest as she peered into the metallic moving parts that made up her car. "Is that professional opinions or can I disagree?"

Rory left those two to discuss the car's damage while she leaned against the yellow car, shoved her hands in her pocket to keep warm and watched as her breath turned to steam vapours before her eyes.

Taking the opportunity to look around and find out exactly where they were stranded she noticed mostly was that it was dark, it was cold and there were some scary, oddly shaped trees. The foliage on those very trees started swaying to the faint bitter breeze that was picking up as time flew and it made Rory shiver.

The road they were marooned on did not have any lights, and both sides of the streets were thickly forested. It was the woods; it all looked pretty much the same to her.

Rory let out a sigh. "It's official, Tims Jinxed. So do we walk on or do we wait for help? Because I'll tell you if anything else out of the ordinary happens today I will not be at all surprised."

How wrong she was.


	6. Hazard

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**Summer Lovin'**

_Disclaimer: We do not own One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls or the characters that are portrayed in our fan fiction; they belong to the WB._

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Chapter 6. Hazard

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Lucas Scott was driving down the forested terrain, that was well known as Tree Hill's trade mark. Even though the scenery at this point in time was breath taking, with the large oak tree's on the side of the road casting deathly shadows ahead of him under the full moon, Lucas could have cared less.

He couldn't imagine why Haley had left without him, most importantly, he couldn't understand why Haley had left with Brooke and Peyton. Brooke not being on Haley's number one list.

Frowning as the car sped down the curvy road, he noticed a couple of cars in his review mirror speeding up towards him, as they swerved from side to side probably full of the drunken fools that he had left at the party.

They were obviously on the way to the basketball match that everyone was so keen to be involved in, between Tree Hill High and its arch rival Picton High. He, of course had been persuaded by Jake to attend, he couldn't very well let his team down.

The several cars that had been far off into the distance earlier had somehow caught up to him, and were tailgating dangerously close. Lucas looked on as one of the cars went on the opposite side of the road and stuck their beer grasping arms out of the window screaming widely as they honked their horns, before of course speeding on past him.

Lucas shook his head in mock amusement. He couldn't believe he was doing this. A match at his usual playing area, with a bunch of spaced out idiots. He got the feeling that the game wasn't going to last very long.

Glancing around his messy truck, he spotted his mobile laying lazily on the passengers seat.

Not wishing to have an accident, he focused his attention on the road, all the while reaching out and fumbling around the passengers seat until he finally grabbed a hold of the small, solid object.

Bringing it up close to his face, he dialled Haley's number into the phone, finding it more easier as he placed it in the crook of his neck.

After a few seconds of the phone ringing into his ear, Haley's voice spoke through the speaker.

'_Hi, this is Haley James. I'm afraid I'm not here right now, so if you feel the need to leave a message, then you know the drill…beep.' _

Lucas frowned, as he positioned the phone more comfortably against his shoulder.

'Hey Hales. It's Lucas. Okay, I'm on my way over to the court. Uh, I'm just phoning to see if your all right. So, if you get this message…just give me a call.'

Lucas grabbed a hold of the cell and ended the line, holding the phone out for a few seconds as an image of a broken down car on the side of the road filled his view. It wasn't the same one that passed him earlier, it was an old yellow Toyota.

Narrowing his eyes, Lucas leaned forward in his seat as he saw three people standing beside the car. One very, very familiar.

'Tim?'

It was _in fact _Tim that was standing dumbfounded beside two female acquittances.

Pulling his ute into the curve slowly, Lucas rolled down his window, noticing Tim fidget along with the smoking engine out front.

'Looks like you burned the radiator. You need a ride somewhere?' He asked the three, noticing one of the females that he had seen earlier on at the party. The one with the large blue eyes, that had been staring at him as if he were a leper from the other side of the room. Of course, that was before she had made a quick run for the exit.

At this point in time she was anything but friendly, as she glowered at him with her arms crossed over her chest. Raising his eyebrow at her, he decided to aim his question at Tim, who was staring sidelong at the other girl.

'Tim?' He repeated, finally catching the attention of the floppy haired boy.

'Uh, yeah sure.' The boy answered, then noticing Lucas's bemused expression, he shrugged. 'A lift to the river court would be nice.'

Lucas nodded, then reaching over the far side of the ute unlocked the door.

'You can hop in. I've got some extra room in the back seat if you have any bags or extra luggage that you need to bring along.'

This seemed to make the two girls squirm, the one who was glaring at him only a few seconds before appeared lost for words, he knew this because her jaw had dropped slightly and her eyebrows were furrowed together in apparent shock.

She was attractive, he had to admit but it was obvious that she had taken an apparent dislike to him all ready, it was written all over her. She glanced at the girl beside her, and bit her bottom lip. The other girl returned the look, and shook her head of shoulder length brown hair. 'Ror, now isn't the time to be fussy. We have to get to that game, pronto.'

'I refuse to get in that car,' the girl demanded as she pointed towards his ute obtrusively. Lucas frowned, okay so his car wasn't exactly what he'd call a prize, but it got him from A to B so he didn't know what the girl was talking about. Though from the look of her raised chin, and pouty expression he guessed she was probably from the rich area of town and was used to riding her parents credit card.

Lucas, feeling somewhat annoyed at her attitude, placed his arm on the outside of the window and motioned to her.

"Whereabouts do you live?" The girl appeared shocked at what he asked, so he shook his head. "Never mind."

The rusty back door flew open and a heavy weight entered his van. It was Tim of course. Brushing along the side of the car he gave Lucas a goofy grin.

'Thanks man, I appreciate it. I didn't really like the idea of walking.'

Lucas raised his eyebrows as he stared at the floppy haired basketball player. 'Hey, shouldn't you be with Nathan?'

Tim nodded his head and glanced down into his lap. 'Uh, well sort of. He kind of left me on the side of the road.'

A gasp was heard from one of the girls that was standing outside, hopping into the car suddenly as if she were struck by lightening, she sat beside Tim and touched his shoulder comfortingly.

"You were left on the side of the road? God, that's demeaning! Who by?" She paused and bit her bottom lip, "Wait, Nathan… Nathan as in Nathan Scott, major basketball jerk?"

Tim nodded his head. Appearing to Lucas as if someone stuck his head onto an undersized dolls body and the only thing it could do was flop around.

"Ah, excuse me Ash? Aren't you forgetting something?" the dark haired girl that they had referred to as Rory asked, crossing her arms over her chest once more. "What makes you think I am getting into that car?"

Lucas felt a small chuckle develop, he couldn't believe this girl.

'Because it is freezing cold out there and I am offering you a lift out of common decency.' Lucas retorted. The chill from outside was starting to seep through the warm compartment of his car and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Yeah, well psychos offer people lifts too.'

Lucas appearing befuddled said, 'Yeah, but I'm not a psycho.'

'That statement is very debatable…'

Her friend clearly finding her stubbornness as irritating as Lucas was, muttered in a throaty voice, "Rory, please for me?"

Rory paused, looking as if she were being torn in two different directions. But eventually after glancing, from her friend in the backseat to Lucas, pouted and reluctantly made her way over to the passengers side of the car; directly to the right of Lucas. As soon as she hoped in, she slammed the door shut showing just how displeased she was.

Lucas shook his head wondering whether to laugh or to just kick the girl that went by the name of Rory out of his ute into the freezing cold. The latter thought was tempting: the girl certainly wasn't helping matters and he didn't even know her personally.

Thankful to be on the move once again, he released the clutch and put the gear stick into third. Feeling the rumble of the engine sputter, he slowly turned off from the gravel side walk back onto the main road.

&

Five minutes had passed in which the car had remained in an uncomfortable silence. Rory kept sending him sidelong antagonistic glares. Whenever he would catch her staring, she would quickly divert her gaze to the outside scenery.

"Look, did I offend you somehow? Because I have no idea why your acting like this."

Rory twisted her body around, so that she was leaning against the door, getting a good view of the Tristan-look a like.

"Offend me? That's an understatement. Try something on the lines of 'you made my life a living hell,'" she huffed.

It was Lucas's turn to huff. "A living hell? Lady, I just met you."

Rory narrowed her eyes and stared at Lucas's side profile. "You know what, your pigheadedness even surprises me…to what? Forget me that fast. Wow, I don't know whether to be relieved or offended. Besides don't you mean _Mary_?"

He gave her a sceptical glance as he resumed his gaze back on the road. "Is that your name? I thought it was Rory."

'Oh, that's funny. Very funny,' Rory spat out at him, crossing her arms over her chest, as she followed suit and gazed off into the distance.

Tim and Ash who had been observing silently in the back seat sent each other a worried glance as they sped through the North Carolina wildlife.

"You just can't help it, can you?" Rory spoke up suddenly, her voice taking on a sharp edge. Her hair, which was tied up in a tight ponytail flicked to one side of her shoulder due to her constant jerking movements.

"Help what?"

"Being the same egotistical guy that everybody knows you are."

"Uh, look I think you've got me mixed up with someone else. If you knew me at all, you would know what I'm not egotistical…'

"Please don't use that, 'I've changed, I'm not the same person that I once was', because you will always be the same opinionated…jerk… that everyone knows you are."

Tim sniggered quietly at Rory's attempt at an insult, but was left unnoticed as the two in the front seat sent each other death glares.

Ashley, feeling like this was a good time to lighten up the conversation leaned forward so she was resting her arms against the back of Lucas's seat, "You know, you look strangely familiar…"

Rory snorted at that, and quietly mumbled something under her breath. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Lucas controlled the urge to impose her with questions. He didn't like the fact that she held something over him, like he really _had _done something wrong to receive this kind of treatment.

Naive to the still present tension, Ashley fidgeted around in her seat trying to find the missing piece of the puzzle. A wide grin spread across her face as she snapped her fingers in thought. "Oh, I know! Charlie from _Dawson's Creek._"

Lucas sat lower in his seat, as the passengers in the car seemed to roll their eyes instantaneously at the mention of the television show.

Taking a sharp turn across the threshold, Lucas was relieved to see the distinct outline of the river court. Releasing his tension on the steering wheel, he took one last glance at Rory before pulling the car onto the green of what was going to be a battle between Tree Hill and the Warriors.

* * *


	7. Freak Out

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Summer Lovin'

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_Disclaimer: We do not own anything One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls related (except our Season 1 DVD of course)._

_Authors Note: Hey guys, we come bearing a new chapter! Just want to say thanks Jacqueline for being so great with feedback. You rock! _

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**Chapter 7. Freak out**

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When Haley, Brooke and Peyton arrived at the River court there was already enough people there to get lost in the crowd. It looked like every teenager without a curfew was rooming around and getting behind their teams.

Even though but a few minutes ago it was dark and cold, now as they moved snugly nestled between the hoards of people and the lights on the court switched on, it might as well have been a midsummer's day.

For some reason butterflies did a happy dance in her stomach that she hadn't felt in a long time. Peyton had a feeling that something big was going to happen.

Peyton turned to Brooke as she had in turn clawed at her shirt sleeve. Peyton could tell she was excited, her eyes were bright and her cheeks were stained pink obviously feeling whatever it was that she had felt but a moment ago.

'Oh my god. Look who just walked onto the court?' She asked loudly in even throatier way then usual. Haley not altogether uncomfortable with running into Lucas ran a hand through her hair and raised her arms in the air.

'As long as you don't say Lucas Scott.'

Peyton snorted. 'Not likely unless Lucas has transformed into a six foot four towering mass of muscles.'

Brooke clapped her hands in glee.

'Russ Rivers,' This time she grabbed the sleeves of both the girls who in turn were checking out the hot competition. 'is going to be playing against Lucas. That means they are going to get all hot and sweaty and oh I think I've stepped into my dreams.'

'Dude, unless they start ripping their shirts off mid game and the court ends up being a tank full of mud then I think this is real.' Peyton responded watching, though trying not to make it obvious, Russ talking to a couple of his team mates then added 'Why do guys who are descended from a long line of talented athletes happen to be above average in looks?'

'I know that guy.' Haley said pointing at everyone's eye candy. She had a thoughtful look on her face the whole time he was being checked out and Peyton had the feeling it wasn't because she was joining in. 'That's Russel.'

'Honey. It's Russ okay? It's hotter.' Brooke purred.

'Haley how do you know him anyway?' Peyton asked curious. Even though Haley was friends with Lucas, an object of affection from a lot of teenage girls, for some reason she had trouble seeing her knowing Russ Rivers. Legendary bad boy with good genes.

'When we were like six or something we went to school together. He was really strange, not because he was weird or anything but because he would be quiet most of the time, keeping to himself and when someone would tick him off, when you'd least expect it he'd….let all his bottled up emotions explode I guess. Now I know he had issues but I remembered I liked him a lot.'

'Oh and I know the reason for that.'

'Shut up Brooke. I didn't mean like that. I meant he always used to save a seat for me in class. He would do things that didn't add up. But he left soon after.'

'Awww. That is so adorable. The emotional explosion thing I don't know about, but the seat thing melts my heart. He's mine. Girls you have been warned,' Brooke said only half interested in Haley's story. 'I'm hungry and for some reason I smell food.'

Peyton ignored Brooke's last comment as she thought about Haley's assessment of the rebel heart-throb Russ and wondered why Haley seemed to have luck when it came to ass's being sweeties to her. Look at Nathan, total ass when it came to her. Rude, obnoxious and just plain mean and when he was around Haley he turned into a saint who respected her and actually listened to her.

She looked at the small girl with brown hair and expressive dark eyes.

Peyton wasn't prone to masochistic behaviour so she decided to leave it being that some girls were just going to be treated well and others, well they just weren't.

She just wished she wasn't one of the others.

'Hey earth to Peyton, come in Peyton?' A hand waving in front of her detracted her thoughts. 'How are you doing? You totally looked spaced out.' Brooke asked, appearing a little worried.

'Oh nothing. Thinking about stupid stuff. Did you say you were hungry?'

'Ah duh. I was like rambling on and on and nobody was listening.'

It was Haley's turn to snort tonight. 'Brooke we were listening to you but we chose not to indulge you. There is no food. We are at the rivercourt. I will repeat there is no food nor will there ever be.'

'Hot dogs. I got hot dogs for only $2.00.'

'What the hell?'

Mouth and Jimmy had popped out of the blue with a barbeque alight and flaming sausages sending a strong aroma in every direction. It was chaotic, the amount of people lining up for food. Brooke had to fight her way through.

Haley and Peyton followed, excusing themselves and Brooke until they reached the grinning boys.

'Way to go guys. A little bit of entrepreneurial flare I see.' Haley laughed and shook her head. '$2.00 for a sausage isn't that a little expensive?'

Brooke stuffed her hand in her wallet and pulled out a wad of cash. 'I don't care. I'm hungry, we're hungry girls.' Brooke flashed a smile at Mouth. 'We'll take one each.'

Mouth smiled 'Well since it's you guys. I'll let you have it for free.' There were groans of disgust from behind them.

'Can I have one for free too?' A guy in the line asked.

Jimmy looked him over. 'No.'

The girls were grateful, they hadn't eaten anything since lunch. 'Thanks guys. You guys are the best.' Peyton said after she had taken a bite of the delicious meat. 'You do a mean sausage too.'

While busily eating they slowly walked away getting knocked by the angry people who they cut in front of. Haley laughed. 'Hey I'm eating here.'

Peyton heard a beeping and automatically Brooke and her went for there phones. 'Someone's messaging me.' Brooke said scrambling through her bag, a half eaten hot dog in her hand.

'No it's mine.' Peyton said with a roll of her eyes.

'Guys calm down. It's only a message' Haley said enjoying the food that was sitting heavily in her stomach.

'Please, those messages are the glue that holds my social life together. Okay, without messages there would be no co-ordination, no structor to my life. It would be bedlam okay.' Brooke said sternly as she looked through her messages.

'Oh-kay. You know, I would like to have seen you function before the technological era.' Haley said taking a seat at one of the few wooden benches scattered across the park.

'Yeah, well there was a reason I was born in this time you know,' Brooke made a face 'You're right Peyt, it's yours.'

Peyton shook her head. 'It's not mine either. Lookie here, someone is texting Haley. Is it someone who we should know about?'

Haley scrambled for her bag and red the little message. 'Yeah it says "Honey can you work an extra shift tomorrow." Ah the age of technology. Damn.'

Haley clicked a few extra buttons and stuck the phone to her ear, her face flushed a little and Peyton could almost hear her teeth grind together.

'Whoa. What's with the look dude?'

'Oh nothing, just stupid Lucas. He acts like nothing happened.' Haley said flinging the phone at Peyton who listened to the message.

'_Hey Hales. It's Lucas. Okay, I'm on my way over to the court. Uh, I'm just phoning to see if your all right. So, if you get this message…just give me a call.'_

'He's just being a guy. Don't worry at least he's worried about you.' Peyton said patting Haley's head.

Brooke pouted and placed her hands on her hips. 'Yeah please explain that to me again? It doesn't make sense. Why would Lucas start cracking on you so strongly like that when he's been your best friend for…how long? Anyway, it seems a little weird. Unless he'd been spiked or something.'

Haley gasped. 'You think someone gave him drugs?'

Brooke clicked her tongue. 'Well you never know.'

'Dude, he's driving.' Peyton said.

'Oh shit.' Haley said. 'I feel so bad. He was acting really weird. He didn't really talk like usual...'

'Yep drugs. Poor guy.' Brooke said with a shake of her head. 'We are totally going to suck at this game if Lucas is high on something.'

Peyton sighed and looked to the sky. 'Oh well at least we'll see Nathan get tanked.'

'Peyton.' Two voices said in unison.

'All right. Let's find Nathan and let him know Lucas is unfit to play. Happy?'

&&

'Nathan?' Brooke said out load, she couldn't find him anywhere so calling his name really loud seemed like the only alternative.

'Nathan?' Followed Haley and Peyton. They separated and searched but they could still hear each other from over the loud talking.

Brooke smiled. 'That's what I'm talking about.' Proud that her pals had risen to the occasion and used their vocals.

'What the hell Brooke?'

Brooke spun into Nathan's chest and smiled seductively at the tall brunette. 'Why hello Nathan. Aren't you looking all fit and healthy today?' Taking the opportunity to rub his chest.

Nathan looked a little confused. 'What's going on?'

Brooke's posture returned to normal and stuck her hands on her hips. 'Oh fine, always wanna skip the fun stuff. ME and the girls were looking for you for like sooo long.'

'And..'

'Right. I was getting to that. Jeez. Anyway, Lucas is on drugs.'

It took a moment for Nathan to comprehend what she had said before he started looking frantic.

'What? Is he okay? Where is he?'

Brooke thought his concern was too cute.

'Oh he's driving here, but I think he's okay. At the moment anyway. He called Haley and apologised for totally coming on to her at the party.'

Nathan's face went red and concern turned to a sort of anger Brooke hadn't seen before. Maybe she should have left that part out. Oh well.

'What the fuck?'

'Don't worry. The drugs did it. Someone must have mickied him. You know Lucas wouldn't have taken them on purpose.'

Nathan ran a hand through his hair. 'Yeah I guess. So he's coming?'

'Yeah. To play. So we thought we'd better warn you just in case he starts spazzing out or something.'

Nathan signed and nodded.

'Sure. Thanks Brooke.'

Brooke turned on her smile. 'No thank you. I get a chance to see Russ a little closer. He is so gorgeous. Isn't he?'

'I wouldn't know. I'm a guy.'

'Oh right. Well good luck with the game.'

'Sure. Thanks.'

'Bye.' Brooke said with a wink and a wave.

&&


	8. The Anthem Part 1

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**_Summer Lovin'_**

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**_Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls._**

_Authors Note: __Thanks to the lovely and also constructive reviews from Jaqueline, brucas always&forever07, Lonnie and Majit. You guys are awesome and we love you all! lol __We are keeping the pairings strictly confidential at the moment. That way we can keep you guys on your toes, but feel free to guess away. :)_

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**Chapter 8. The Anthem Part 1**

**-**

The vehicle came to a stop on what looked to be an outdoor basketball court. Jake turned off the engine and unbuckled his seat belt.

"We're here," he said, giving Tristan a smirk as the blonde stared out of the car window towards the practicing athletes in trepidation. "Now are you sure you don't want to join in?"

Tristan glanced at his cousin as if he were crazy and shook his head with a slight chuckle. "One hundred percent sure."

"All right, if that's what you want…"

"Trust me, if I wanted to be apart of your little love nest out there I would have asked. Besides you want to win, don't you?" Tristan asked, reminding his cousin of his useless playing tactics. It had come as a sharp blow to his ego having to admit that his sporting abilities were almost non existent. He, Tristan DuGrey, sex-god to the ladies; golden boy to the grandparents; Mr. Popular all around, couldn't throw a ball to save himself. It surprised even him that he made it into military school.

Jake shook his head and frowned. "You know I was only playing around with you before about all that. Your not that bad…maybe a little rough around the edges, but it happens to the best of us."

Tristan thought about what his cousin was saying for a minute, then shook his head. _Nah, he was bad._

Hopping out of the car and quickly slamming the door behind him, he watched as his stocky, dark haired relative followed queue. Rubbing his arms, Tristan watched as his breath came out in short and misty puffs staining the air. He did remember hearing that a storm was brewing in Tree Hill; he guessed that it would probably be coming sooner rather then later.

Glancing at Jake over the top of the car, he motioned with his hands towards the busy court. "So how long do you think this will take? Three, maybe thirty minutes?"

Jake shrugged. "Beats me."

That wasn't the exact answer that Tristan wanted. He needed details so he could work out how much coaxing and flirting time he would have with some of the teams cheerleaders. He had his eye on a couple of them. Tall, blonde, nice legs…yep, he was definitely in his element. Maybe this match wouldn't be a waste of time after all.

Jake nodded his head towards him and Tristan frowned wondering what the other was gesturing at, that was until the his cousin called out the name Nathan. Glancing over his shoulder, Tristan saw just who his cousin was aiming his question at.

He knew it was another basketball player because the guy was holding a ball in his grasp. An obvious indication. The tall dark haired youngster looked at Jake, then his gaze drifted off to Tristan; his eyebrows furrowing together as he stared at him.

Tristan frowned back at him. It was a rare occasion when he instantly disliked someone, but this happened to be one of those rare occasions. The whole stance of cockiness, and attitude reminded Tristan of well…him. Not that he hated himself; just other people with those qualities.

"Jake," Nathan said, nodding in acknowledgment at his fellow team mate as he neared their car. "I'm glad you guys made it. We're a few short tonight, and we really need to be on our game if we're going to beat the warriors."

Jake nodded in understanding. "I'll go warm up."

Jake raised an eyebrow, and aimed his next question at Tristan. "Are you going be all right?"

Tristan shrugged and gave his cousin one of his trade mark smirks. "Trust me, I'll be better then all right." This caused his relative to laugh and shake his head as he walked off. For some unknown reason, Nathan stayed in place causing Tristan's frown to return.

"What's up?" He asked, watching as the tall athlete walked towards him until he came to a halt standing only a few inches from where Tristan was situated.

"Are you okay, man?"

"Ah, yeah sure…" Tristan responded, raising a slight eyebrow.

"Are you gonna be all right for the game tonight?" The brown haired guy asked.

Tristan narrowed his eyes, what was up with all the questions?

"Pardon?"

"I mean, Brooke explained everything to me and I was just wondering if you could still play?" Nathan continued, shrugging his shoulders as he did so.

"I thought this was teams only."

"Look, I know the guys have been giving you a hard time lately, but you are still apart of the team." There was a pause, as the two frowned, not understanding where the other was coming from.

"It's a simple question. Can you play?" Nathan asked, becoming somewhat agitated.

Tristan finally understood that this guy thought he was Lucas. Opening his mouth he was about to reveal his identity when his attention was quickly diverted to someone familiar in the crowd who gave him a brief , Tristan nodded feeling his arrogance return as the girl from the party watched from a far with a concerned smile on her face. "Sure. It can't be that hard can it?"

Nathan patted his shoulder and turned around preparing to walk off, when Tristan had a brain wave. "Hey. Who's on the team?"

Nathan slowly looked back at him, an eyebrow arched as he motioned towards the court. "The usual."

Tristan rubbed his hands together. "Okay and what position do I play?"

Nathan looked at Tristan incredulously . "Up front, defence. Lucas, are you sure you're okay? I mean, Brooke mentioned you were on crack..."

Tristan almost laughed out loud. The guy he so called resembled was a crack head? It didn't exactly meet with the image he had come up with in his head.

Finding it easier as the night continued to answer under someone else's name, he responded, "If you want me to play, I'll play."

Nathan nodded. "All right, I'll see you on the court then."

The guy walked off, leaving Tristan next to the car wondering what he had just got himself into. Not only was he going to publicly humiliate himself, but he was going to ruin the teams chance at winning. He knew this because he had no idea how to play basketball…absolutely no idea.

_Great DuGrey, _he thought angrily. _Just perfect. _

_&& _

"…_Ladies and gentleman, it is nearing the start of what is going to be a historic game as the Warriors versus the Ravens. It will be one hell of a battle as basketball champions Nathan and Lucas Scott tackle the new competition, Russ Rivers, brother of NBA stars Stephen and Joshua Rivers…and so the game commences as Lucas Scott enters the court, looking mighty confident…" _

Tristan stepped onto the court and was quickly overcome by the cheers and groans of the crowd. Loving the newfound attention, he did a full circle holding his arms out in the air, hearing the instant screams of the high school girls as they jumped up and down at his arrogant poise. It worked like a charm.

Turning around, he was faced by the rest of the basketball players staring at him in disgust. He smirked. He might now be a good player, but at least he knew how to make a crowd go wild.

Jogging toward the centre of the court, Tristan stopped in front of a tall, light brown haired guy who held the leather bound basketball in his grips.

Strange, the guy looked very, _very _familiar. The guy facing opposite him let out a small chuckle.

"What are you? A player or a mascot?"

Tristan did a double take, peering through narrowed eyes at his offender which instantly widened as realisation hit him.

"Bloody hell. Russ Rivers." Tristan said, stunned. "Man, I haven't seen you since you got kicked out of military school…"

Russ gazed down at him for a few seconds, then he clicked his tongue as a small smile spread across his face. "Tristan DuGrey. Fancy seeing you here."

"Well you know where there's action, I'm there. Although…" Tristan said, lowering his voice to a whisper as he leaned closer to his military schools younger version of James Dean, "…can you help me out. I mean, you remember us sharing physical education, right? It wasn't pretty."

"Well the Ravens have it coming if they wanted you on their team…"

Tristan grimaced. "Well that's just the thing, they think I'm Lucas Scott. I'm just playing along because of this chick…anyway you owe me one."

Russ stared at him.

"Lucas Scott huh?" he asked, Tristan nodded. "I can see the resemblance, but I picked you straight away. Always the cocky one. All right, I'll help you out _but_ I'm not going to let the Ravens win just because you have some hang up about a girl."

Tristan noticed a twitch in the corners of Russ's mouth and he knew instantly that the tall bloke was finding amusement in all of this.

"Well since I _do _owe you one…" Russ said, bouncing the ball on the black concrete before handing it to Tristan. "All right, DuGrey. Your going to have to follow my instructions very carefully, understand?"

This sounded promising. Tristan leaned forward on the balls of his feet and grinned. "No problem, just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Russ glanced around the court, which had started to become impatient as the two in the centre plotted their course of action.

Leaning forward Russ motioned with his hand towards a short Hispanic guy. "You see him, stick to him like glue and make sure he does not get the ball."

Tristan eyed the guy who was fidgeting under their gaze, probably wondering why he was the centre of conversation. He looked about a good few inches shorter then him. _This is going to be a piece of cake. Wait a second…_

"Your not telling me this so that the Raven lose, are you?" Tristan asked his old friend suspiciously. Russ shook his head in reply.

That was enough for Tristan. "Okay, lets get this game started…"

&&

Mouth spoke through his recorder, "_and so the game finally begins…and Lucas fumbles the ball…Lucas drops the ball. Ladies and gentleman, it appears that the Ravens are in a bit of trouble tonight as one of the crucial players of the team is apparently having trouble deciding who to pass to…" _

Tristan held the ball in his hands tightly as people swarmed around him raising their hands in the air shouting his name, no wait, they shouted _Lucas's_ name. Ah well, what has he got to lose?

"_Oh! And the crowd is going mental, as Lucas Scott passes the ball to the opposition. I don't know what going on here, but whatever it is, it's not pretty…" _

Tristan felt his heart drop, when the ball started flying down the other end of the court. He may not have known the rules of basketball, but he knew when people were cursing him for giving opposite team the ball, he had done the wrong thing.

"Yo, DuGrey. What did I tell you to do?" Russ asked, as he jogged past him.

Tristan sighed. Spotting the small guy he was supposed to tail, he started running with the crowd.

"…_thankfully, Nathan Scott had intercepted the ball, making it a close call for the Ravens. Wait a second…our own Lucas Scott is left open on the right side of the wing. Nathan Scott makes a brilliant pass…but oh no! Lucas Scott drops the ball yet again!" _

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Tristan watched as the ball bounced off his chest, and landed on the floor a good feet away from him. Seeing the hungry eyes of the other players, he decided to add a bit more of his favourite sport into the game. Flinging himself forward, Tristan landed on the concrete floor and grasped at the leather ball holding it close, hearing the whistle ring through the groans of the audience.

Seeing a pair of nike shoes stop directly in front of him, he raised his gaze to meet a laughing Russel.

"Man, you suck." The athlete commented, shaking his head as his laughter died down. "Okay, since that didn't work. How about we try something else?"

Tristan rose to knees, wiping the dirt off his shoulders as he fumed inside. He couldn't believe he had been suckered into playing. He should have known it was going to be like this.

Grabbing the ball, he rose to his feet slowly, glancing up at his friend and now playing rival. "What do you have in mind now?"

_&&_

"_Five minutes into the game…and it seems that there is something in the air as the Warriors head player, Russ Rivers seems to be constantly fumbling the ball to opposition Lucas Scott…ladies and gentlemen this one wacky game we have here as it would appear that the two team members were working together…the score remains zero respectively on both sides. _

Tristan bounced the ball with ease, getting into the hang of the game as Russ was on his feet pretending to defend the ball.

"Pass to Jake," Russ muttered under his breath. Tristan glanced around, wondering where the hell his cousin was. Losing his balance in the process, his body twisted around, his face meeting the concrete with love. Tristan heard a crunch. _Not my nose, please god not my nose! _

* * *


	9. The Call

******__**

Summer Lovin'

----

Disclaim everything, except originality. ;)

--

Brooke sat in Tim's car that Nathan was conveniently driving. It was kind of stormy and Nathan wasn't doing that great of a job keeping the car straight.

It wasn't the most perfect ending to the night, being that she was alone with a moodier then usual Nathan (which was never good under any circumstances) instead of the delectable Russ Rivers.

At least they didn't have a problem with conversation.

Somehow they had gotten from the topic of Lucas's horrific display of basketball to how she could bend back some of her fingers to an unhealthy looking position.

'It's called flexible.' Brooke purred as she displayed her agile finger in front of Nathan's face.

Nathan waved them away.

'It's called disgusting. Get them out of my face.'

Brooke's bendable fingers were her party trick. She brought them out when things were dire and being stuck alone with Nathan, trying to keep him amused, now _that_ was dire.

'Speaking of hidden talents, what's yours?' Brooke asked suspiciously.

'What?' He was avoiding eye contact. He looked jittery. He was definitely hiding something.

'Come on Mr Serious,' Brooke said in a droning voice then lightened up 'I know you've got a talent your not telling me.'

Nathan looked at her and leered. 'Brooke. I hate to burst your bubble but I don't have a hidden talent and the fact that it's called a hidden talent means that it would probably stay that way.'

'Ha-ha,' She said pointing at him 'what is it? Can you touch you noes with your tongue? Can you twist your tongue in some grotesque fashion? Come on Nathan its no big deal. If it makes you feel better it will just stay between you and me.'

Nathan looked bored.

She hated it when he did that because she knew he was only doing it for appearances. Brooke knew he loved the attention - he flourished in it.

'You and tongues.'

'Spill.'

'No way, stick your head out of the window and get some fresh air, I'm telling you nothing.'

Brooke laughed.

'Honey, I can already see you cracking,' She sighed dramatically whilst watching Nathan from the corner of her eyes 'I'll just go on and on and on and on and oh my, did I just say _forever_?'

'You think your nagging can crack me? Brooke your delusional, remember who my parents are.'

Brooke smirked and looked at her polished nails. It was true his parents were kind of mental but that didn't mean he knew the meaning of the word. He may have Dan and Deb as hassling parents but they were amateurs next to her folks.

'Save your sob story, I know your only doing it to deflect my delightful conversation.'

Nathan did _his_ little smirk. Sometimes it could be cute, other times it could be plain annoying. That precise moment she would definitely say it was adorable.

'If I tell you, will you shut up?'

Brooke considered this. 'Probably not, but I'll try.'

'As long as there is a concerted effort,' Nathan sighed 'I can move my ears whenever I want.'

Brooke stopped for a second then burst out laughing.

It wasn't just a chuckle or a giggle it was a full blown, side splitting hilarity that not only rolled through her body but made her tear well up.

All she could picture was Nathan walking around wiggling his ears.

Like a puppy dog. It was hysterical.

'Nice to show your understanding.' He scowled and turned a deep shade of red.

It was too cute.

'Show me.' She demanded after her laughter died away.

'No way.'

'You cannot tell me something like that and not show me.' Brooke said flashing her eyes and tried to hide her smile. It probably didn't work but she _tried_.

'So what if I told you I could do amazing things to you in bed, would you make me show you too?' Nathan said with a frown, creasing his forehead. 'Anyway I'm driving.'

Brooke tried not to choke on that statement. She watched as he slammed his foot on the gas pedal and stared out of the window, jaw clenched.

Okay so she hit a tender spot.

Brooke touched him arm and watched him flinch.

One wrong move or wrong word could do that to Nathan lately, maybe it was Haley maybe it was Peyton, one thing's for sure it shouldn't be her.

Though she tried to fight it, guilt was starting to well within her, starting quickly with knots in her stomach then to a little voice in the back of her head saying over and over again 'Stupid, stupid, stupid.' She wished she could shut it down somehow.

'I apologise Nathan. I didn't mean to royally piss you off, I guess it's not your fault that you can wiggle your ears,' She said and when he didn't respond she continued 'I mean obviously you don't just want to wiggle them to everyone. Your not a freak show.'

Nathan cracked a smile. It was tough on him. It looked like he was having pain accomplishing the common action.

'Whatever. Brooke just forget about it.'

'No. I don't want to just forget about it. Wiggling your ears shouldn't be bad thing. I always wished I could wiggle my noes like Elizabeth Montgomery.'

'Who?'

'Samantha. You know that old show? Bewitched? It would have been awesome, especially if it came with those powers.'

'Powers? What the hell are you talking about?'

'What are _you_ talking about? How can you not know Bewitched?' Brooke responded incredulous.

'Maybe 'cause that's girly shit.'

'Fine. But that's the last time I open up to you.'

'What? You didn't open up to me; you just told me you wanted to wiggle you're noes like a witch.'

She pointed at him again. 'Liar. You _have_ watched it.'

'Whatever.'

'So are you _ever_ going to show me?' Brooke asked.

'No.'

Disappointed she looked out of the window and watched the rain batter at the car. It was pretty stormy. Those weathermen were right for once. Then again even a broken clock was right twice a day.

She hoped Peyton got home all right with Theresa. Theresa wasn't the best driver around; she was a smidge worse then even Peyton and she wasn't exactly the most reliable behind the wheel. Driving in the storm could be a little testy, even for Nathan who looked to be still struggling to keep the vehicle from swaying.

'I think I'll give Peyton a call to see if she's alright.' Brooke said.

Nathan didn't acknowledge her.

'_Hey this is Peyton. You know the drill._' The voice message stated curtly.

Great, she hated leaving messages. Her voice always sounded so weird.

She hung up and tried Theresa.

'Hey Brooke, what's up?' Her friend asked before she had to say anything.

'Just checking to see if you and Peyt got home alright.'

'What?' A confused voice shook Brooke up.

'What, what?'

'What, what, what? What are you talking about Peyton got a ride with you.'

Brooke sat up straight.

'Do you think I would be calling you to see if Peyton got home alright if she's sitting in the car with me?'

'I don't know. Don't worry Brooke. I'm sure she's okay, she probably caught a lift with someone else.'

'But I saw her climb into your car.'

Nathan looked over and started to ask what was going on. At least he looked a little worried now, considering Peyton was his girlfriend once upon a time and she could be _anywhere_, with anyone. Oh god.

'Yeah to help me push start it. You know it's been playing up since the incident. I offered her a lift but she said she was catching a ride with you.'

Those butterflies that were in her stomach a moment ago turned into prehistoric evil butterflies that probably ate insects the size of her beetle, as in her car.

'Well she didn't.' Brooke snapped then regretted it. It wasn't Theresa's fault. 'Why hasn't she called me?'

'I don't know. Oh man why did this have to happen tonight with the storm?' Theresa moaned.

'I know.' Brooke moaned back. 'I'll try her mobile again okay. Don't worry I'll handle it.'

'Are you sure? I can always drive back and check it out, see if she's still there.'

Brooke nodded, even though Theresa couldn't see her. That was a very good idea; it lessened the tension in her body.

'Okay and we'll check her house. Be careful.' Brooke said before hanging up.

Brooke didn't answer Nathan's questions that he drilled her with after she hung up; instead she dialled Peyton's number again.

It went straight to the message bank.

'Damn it.' Brooke shouted but left a quick message asking Peyton to call her back as soon as she gets it.

'What the fuck is going on Brooke? Where's Peyton?'

Brook felt like crying. If anything happened to Peyton it would be all her fault, she was the one who dragged her out.

'She's missing. She didn't end up catching a ride with Theresa like we thought. She's probably out there in the storm somewhere - not returning my call.'

Nathan looked out of the window; she could tell he was little worried too.

'Maybe it's the reception. How did Theresa sound?'

'Worried.'

'I'm not talking about her; I'm talking about the phone. Was it clear?'

'It was a little crackly.'

Brooke wrung her hands and felt a sob emerge from the throat. Well it was a sort-of-sob, she hadn't reached the crying phase yet but it was a blink away.

'Don't cry Brooke. I know Peyton; she's like a cat she always lands on her feet. She's probably caught a ride with someone, it'll be fine.'

'I told Theresa we'll check to see if she's home.'

Nathan nodded and made a quick U-Turn, to the direction of Peyton's home. He was obviously concerned but Brooke wished he wouldn't drive so dangerously.

'She's going to be fine Brooke.'

When Nathan said this it was to calm her down but she could also see by the pained look on his face, that he was saying it for himself as well.

_Peyton why haven't you left me a message?_ Brooke thought to herself while staring out at the drenched wilderness.

&&

'Hi there. You've reached Brooke. I'm doing something super important at the moment – I mean that's the only reason why I wouldn't be answering you call so don't be shy and leave a message.'

Peyton felt like using a lot of bad words on her childhood friend. One of the kinder terms being - deserter.

Instead of leaving a message she hung up.

Brooke had left her at the River court after the game had come to a staggering halt.

On minute Peyton's helping Theresa push start her car (Though it was brand new it was having major problems after she crashed it into a pole at school while distracted) and the next minute Peyton sees Brooke climb into Nathan's car and Haley take an injured and battered Lucas into another car. Then they both speed off. Well actually Nathan sped off and Haley hopped off.

'Unbelievable.'

How was she going to get home now? Walk?

It didn't seem like a bad idea actually.

She needed to clear her head and the storm, though threatening, didn't look like it was going to hit straight away.

It wasn't like she could get a lift off anyone else anyway. No one she knew had stuck around, it looked like they all decided it was best to get off their mark with the predicted storm and all.

She stuffed her hands into her pocket and started to walk.

What a great night.

The party was a bust.

The game was entertaining as hell, but it was still basketball. Nothing she should get overly excited about.

_Poor Lucas_. He took the cake out there on the court. Actually he not only took the cake, he ate it and looked slightly green afterwards. Which in turn caused the basketball "play off" to come to a end.

She had never actually seen him play that badly before. Ever.

_Poor, poor Lucas_. She thought again. Then remembered him driving off with Haley, leaving her in this predicament and didn't feel so bad.

She guessed things could always be worse. Glad that at least he wasn't going home with Brooke. As much as she loved her friend, the thought of her leaving with Lucas would have crushed her.

Brooke leaving with Nathan was another story all together but she wasn't worried about that. Nathan was her past. She wanted to keep him there.

Besides Brooke knew him as long as she did. Just because _she_ stopped seeing him, didn't mean her friend had to too.

While she was running the notion through her mind she felt a lone raindrop splatter on her forehead.

Peyton wiped away at the lonely drop and raised her head to the sky.

'Oh perfect,' she turned when she noticed a light coming towards her through the rapidly falling rain. 'What the hell?'


	10. Let's Hear it for the Boy

__

**Summer Lovin'**

----

Disclaimer: Do not own the rights to One Tree Hill or the Gilmore Girls.

---

**Authours Note:** Anyway, we just wanted to thank the people that reviewed the chapter "the Call" since it was just posted a minute ago and we would just like to give a shout out to; Jaqi, Majit and that's my dog. You guys make writing _fun_! ;D

Anyway, we hope you enjoy.

---

The storm had only gotten worse. Haley thought it would have passed them but unfortunately it hit as soon as she was but five minutes behind the wheel of Brooke's car.

The rain came down in heavy drops that seemed to hit the car like a thousands fists beating at once. Usually she loved storms, the lightning, the thunder, the way everything seemed so still and peaceful after it passed, but not that night.

Haley peered over to look at Lucas.

He was in bad shape, he had his head cradled in his hands and he was almost _giggling,_ probably at her driving. She hated driving a stick; actually she just hated driving and only did it on the rare occasions. _Like driving home your drugged best friend._

Haley bunny-hopped to the set of lights that had flicked to red and pulled up the hand brake.

'Alright what are you laughing at?' She pinched his arm and it made him laugh a little harder. 'I hate driving Luke. I hardly ever do it, you know that, so stop laughing at me.'

The chuckling was still there but he managed to look up at her. She knew drugs did things to people but at that moment he looked like a completely different to the person she had known all her life. There was something different in his eyes.

'I'm sorry _Haley_.' He said her seriously but broke out in another grin. 'I just can't believe you call this driving. After tonight I though I would never find anything more hilarious then me flaying around the court trying to look like I know how to play basketball, but I was mistaken.'

The light flicked green and it was lucky. She would have belted him in the shoulder if she didn't have to get the damn beetle moving.

Her thoughts were on him. That morning Haley would have thought they would have been on Nathan like they always seemed to be lately but they weren't, and she couldn't help it. That fact there made her worry.

'You know how to play basketball,' She said with a deep look into his shinning eyes 'you were off tonight because-' She was stopped mid-sentence when he interrupted.

'I'm not on drugs,' He said turning serious. Haley could perfectly picture who would do something like this to Luke, Nathan's basketball buddies. They hadn't taken to Lucas yet and would do just about anything to make his life a living hell. He probably didn't even know anything about it. Sometimes she wondered if it was worth it.

Haley looked at him again and though it was dangerous, with her driving skills, she put a hand to his forehead and let it run through his short blond hair.

If Haley didn't know better she could have sworn he was effected by the gesture, he seemed to stiffen from the light touch.

'It's okay Luke. We'll get through this together.'

He sighed running a hand through his own hair.

'You're a nice girl Haley and that's the only reason I'm admitting to this,' He made her pull along the side of the road by gently pulling the wheel until they came to a stop. 'the truth is I'm not your Luke. I'm not this great guy everyone seems to love. I'm Tristan DuGrey, the ultimate arrogant, pigheaded asshole. And I just didn't just pluck that description from my ass, I get it daily from the hoards of people that I piss off.'

She swallowed. He looked so sad and even sincere, which was impossible.

'No.'

'Yes.'

She shook her head. 'No Luke.'

'It's actually Tristan.' He answered stubbornly.

'Stop it. All you have done tonight is make me think about you. I've been so worried about your behaviour that I have felt sick most of the night. And if this is what the drugs are making you see then you have to put it down to you not thinking clearly because you are not any of those things you say you are. You're a great person Luke. I see it everyday and I saw it at the court tonight. A person who is any of those things you said you were would not have done what you did.' She reached over and grabbed his hand. It was surprisingly warm while it tightened around hers. 'Okay? And this alter identity of yours seems okay too, you know, a little aggressive but okay too.'

She widened her smile at him and he just stared at her. It was a disconcerting stare that seemed to want to go deeper then her looks, instead searching for her soul.

Haley tried not to think about the flutters in her stomach or the way he stayed silent, she just wanted to get back to the distraction of driving.

'Okay.' He finally replied releasing some of the tension that flooded through her body.

Nodding she grabbed the steering wheel. 'Okay now help me stop this thing from bunny hopping. It's embarrassing.'

'Who taught you how to drive?' He said watching her fumble with the gears.

She stared at him. 'You!'

'Well I didn't do a very good job.' He replied with a smirk.

Haley smiled finally at ease. 'Shut up. It was a choice between you, Taylor or man, my parents. I would have had a nervous breakdown if it were a blood relation. Don't you remember us sneaking out to the middle of nowhere and teaching me? Not that you were allowed too but it was the only way I would ever get it.'

'Well I think the assessor must have fancied you because I don't know how it's possible for someone to get their license when they drive this bad. Hop out and I'll drive.'

Haley was horrified. In his condition, driving?

'No way hero. Your just going to have to bear this awful driving. The rain may be getting worse and the car is starting to sway from the wind but you are just going to have to plant your ass on the passenger seat and get used to it.'

Lucas grinned. She sometimes forgot how nice that smile was. It could light up the dark side of the moon it was that sweet.

'If we survive this storm _and _your driving I'm going to teach you.' He promised.

Haley rolled her eyes and laughed. 'I told you, you already have.'

She could feel his eyes on her. It made her uneasy again. 'No. I haven't.'

Trust Lucas to be self-deprecating when he's drugged.

'Fine. Deal. Okay you can teach me how to really drive. Just tell me if I'm in third.'

'Your in fifth. Hence the reason why you cut out.'

The car was having a rest, remaining stagnant on the deserted road.

'How did I get in fifth?' This was not good. Trust her to be stuck driving Brooke's car by the end of the night.

'I'll tell you,' He said leaning closer like it was a secret 'You moved the gear stick into fifth.'

'Didn't I say shut up already? I'm going to do this.' Haley said getting annoyed with the car and his picking on her. Her driving _was_ bad but it wasn't as appalling as he made out.

She started the car again and it wouldn't move.

'You have to take the car out of neutral.' He said after watching her fiddling around with the pedals.

'I know that.' Maybe appalling was the word. It was all the stress of that night catching up on her; she convinced herself.

She was totally going to regret doing what she was planning to do but Haley was starting to get frightened by the way the storm was getting worse, not better. Even the heater was fighting hard to keep them warm. They needed to get indoors soon. She turned her head to look at him.

'What I'm about to say is completely irresponsible and completely insane but I think I might take you up on your driving offer.'

Before she could ask twice he shifted up from his seat and half standing moved so he slid expertly behind her in the driving seat, pushing up against her. She squealed from his quick and unexpected actions and fought to get herself untangled from his body so she could move into the passenger seat.

Once she had found the seat she fought to control her breathing. Lack of exercise was her excuse. 'You could have just used the doors.'

'And get wet?'

He started the car and moved them slowly onto the road before tearing down the street like they weren't in the worst kind of weather possible.

'See? Easy. And I'm not drugged, do you think a person on drugs could have reflexes like these?'

He handled the car expertly, like he was sitting in a top-of-the-range sports car, not a small bug.

She sat against the door and watched him. Something strange was going on. Drugs had to be the only explanation for his strange behaviour. Either that or he had recently stumbled upon a split personality that he didn't seem to like too much.

Named Tristan DuGrey. _Well at least he picked a pretty name._

Either way it really didn't explain his behaviour towards _her_.


	11. Hanging by a Moment

_**Summer Lovin'**_

---

_**Disclaimer:** We still don't own the rights to the characters on the television shows, One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls._

_----_

_**Authors note:** __Thanks again to **Majit**, **Jaqueline**, **Stephanie**, **Chika**, **Goose16**, and **Druzilla!**_

--

--

In the deep, pelting rain Haley had managed to open the door to the cafe with barely a drop on her shoulders. She turned around and curtsied to the cheering blond fellow who followed closely behind her.

After driving through the torrential rain, and having multiple lanes cut off by flooding, the only option was Karen's Cafe to which she luckily had the key. Karen was very generous with the early morning shifts so Haley was always hauling it around and so inevitably they had decided to camp out there until the storm blew over.

As she rose from the girly curtsy, the smile that was on Lucas's face didn't leave, instead grew softer. His eyes sparkled with amusement and in some sort of weird moment he leaned over to wipe away the only drop that had landed on her. It was high on her cheekbone and for some reason it made her feel even more uncomfortable then before. As if they had stepped over an invisible line that was clearly marked Un-budy-budy territories.

She didn't particularly like that thought. She liked the comfortable Luke and Hales, what was this other thing? It wasn't Hales, it was Haley with a soft edge she had never heard anyone say before, not quite like that. It sounded nice.

But wrong coming from Luke.

'Luke.' She said with a little exasperation entering her voice. She was fighting the urge to run and hide.

'Haley.' Lucas cooed.

The rolling of eyes was used as she pushed him into the door and he struck his elbow.

'You're evil.' He laughed.

'You're weird. Stay away from me or there will be more of where that's coming from.' She wasn't serious, and she made that clear in her voice but there was a underlining warning held in her eyes. Haley had a feeling he couldn't have cared less. He was as dense as a brick at times.

'Oh really. Can I have that in writing? It's actually an interesting fantasy, you brutally bashing me then taking me into your...'

She cut him off with another push. She was so humiliated by the stuff coming out of his mouth. It was so unlike him.

'Stop it.'

'What? I was just joking. Look, I understand some chicks need more time then others so I'll give you till the end of the night before you confess your undying love.'

'You did not seriously say that...'

'Haley, the clock is ticking. Just fess up, then we can make out and maybe play in the puddles.'

Haley held her arms out in protest and shoved him again. 'Yeah right, with you? Please I've known you since you were like a little kid.'

Lucas for some weird reason was enjoying her discomfort. 'I'm not a kid any more Haley. Look at me why don't you.' His eyes flashed that look again and it worried her, 'hey that's a good idea.' Before she could object he had pulled his sweater over his head and let it drop to the floor. All that was left was a bare chest.

Never before had it crossed her mind that she would ever have this happen so she hadn't thought about making up a strategic plan of escape. So all she did was close her eyes and turn around so she wasn't looking at him nice toned body. Did she say nice? And toned? She meant his average everyday looking boy chest.

'Luke, it's cold in here, do you really want to catch pneumonia?' Haley managed as she stared at the wall in front of her, obvious of the half naked boy behind her.

'My clothes are wet. That's how you catch pneumonia. So I'm doing what any normal guy would do in the situation and strip. Girls are too prudish about that sort of thing aren't they? Oh well. I'll send you a get well card when you're in hospital.'

'Nice try dope head, but that ain't working.'

'That is very harsh Haley. I insist that I am not under the influence.'

'And I insist that your insane. Put your clothes on, what if anyone walks by?'

Lucas laughed out loud, giggly. He pointed to the lashes of rain hitting the glass.

'Oh and the people walking out there are going to be right in the head?'

She sighed and bit her lip. 'Alright, I'll get you a towel, your mum keeps a couple out back. When I come back I don't want to find you...any more weird.' A thought of him passed out, fully naked or rummaging through the inventory was images that appeared in her mind and she shook them out quickly, especially the second one.

'Thank you. That would be lovely.' He was serious.

Haley peered up into the sky and wondered what she had did to deserve this.

&


	12. Shiver

_**Summer Lovin'**_

--

_**Disclaimer:** We own nothing, except our original ideas that we come up with daily and watch as it is being reused into a certain 'someones' story - no naming names, but we would appreciate it if you would stop. _

_--_

_**Authors note:** Thanks guys for the consistant reviews you've been sending. We hope you enjoy our latest instalment. :)_

--

--

Haley hesitated at the door for a second.

Should she just walk in and throw him a towel or should she quickly make her way behind the counter, lay the towel on the edge and make a coffee pretending everything way okay?

God. Again why did she have to go through this with her best friend! Who else goes through this with someone they have known since before puberty?

'Heya, thanks for the towel. Are you okay?' Lucas made her jump as he slid the towel from her shaking fingers.

Running a hand through her hair she smiled. 'Fine. Do you want a coffee?'

This seemed to surprise him. 'You can make coffee?'

'Of course I can make coffee, I'm sure everyone with a pulse knows how to whack some coffee in a mug and tip hot water in. What is with you lately?'

He shrugged. 'I mean a real coffee. Not any of that instant coffee crap.'

'Well what else do you think I do here? Stand behind the till and look pretty?'

He brought the towel to his hair and dried his short spiked blond hair that make her hands shake a bit more, she tore her eyes away from his slow movements and looked to the floor.

'I would come in just for that.'

'Yeah right. Please Luke lets drop this act it's really creeping me out.'

'Fine. Lets be friends then.'

'We are friends.'

'I know. So lets talk friend.'

Lucas took a stool still working the water away with that towel, so she clenched her fist and turned to the coffee machine, making two large drinks of her design. Hopefully waking him out of his weirdness.

Tristan noticed the smooth way she worked, it was incredibly sexy. Haley's long hair dangled in slightly wavy tresses down her back and she continued to play with it. By only knowing her tonight, he knew it was because she was nervous.

He didn't particularly like making her nervous but it didn't bother him too much. It was one of his known traits to be nosy, this case was under no circumstances an exception.

Tristan finished drying his body and left the towel on the counter, on the off chance that she might fight her shyness and use it.

Leaning on the bench, his forearms crossed, he waited patiently for his cup of hot coffee. That was something he definitely needed. Something to get his mind off his incredibly bad experience on the court and his near critical nose injury. Lucky for that damn hand of his stopping just in time.

He could just remember the laughter from Russ and that ass hole Nathan. The same guy that seemed to hold a special place in Haley's heart.

Tristan wasn't dense. He didn't miss the look they sent each other, even though it was brief it was there.

Something was happening or had happened between those two.

Damn prick.

That ass didn't have anything on him. Looks, personality, money. Definetly personality.

Wait, maybe he did have money, thus making girls flock to him. Tristan couldn't see any other way a girl like Haley would look at him like that.

Tristan lowered his eyes to his hands and was woken up by a lovely smell.

The aroma filled the air like magic, weaving it's way through the dimmed shop like gift from a invisible fairy waving it's magic wand. It smelt good enough eat, let alone drink.

'That seriously smells delectable.'

It seemed to please the small brunette. She pulled a hand through her long locks and fixed her eyes on Tristan which followed with a smile and an exhausted acceptance of the compliment.

Fixing himself better onto his stool he took a swallow and wasn't a bit surprised when the taste matched the smell.

'Mmm.' he heard himself mutter, 'unbelievable. Who taught you how to make this?'

The look on Haley's face showed that she was either going to let him in on a really big secret or that she was about to sneeze.

'You won't tell anyone?'

Tristan raised his arms and looked around the room. 'Who could I possibly tell?'

'I mean never tell?'

He smiled into his cup. 'Oh, okay. Sure I can do that. I think, I haven't actually tried before but on this instance, then yeah.'

She had a cute way of playing with her hands when she was nervous too.

'It's an experiment. I've been doing some mixing and have come up with some interesting tasts,' she stopped then bashfully smile, 'well I think I have anyway. I haven't told Karen what I've been doing but I just love coffee and you know me trying to function without it.'

Tristan couldn't possibly imagine but nodded anyway.

'So you really like it? I'm so happy to hear you say that, you are the first person I've tried it on, and wanted to try it on.'

A guilty knot tightened in his stomach. He had stolen the gift to Lucas without even knowing it.

Tristan cleared his throat. 'Well it's good.'

Looking down at the floor he wondered why this made him feel so bad when in reality did it really matter? He had already tried to fess up to the fact that he was Tristan and not Lucas. It wasn't his fault that she didn't believe him. He told himself this but deep down he knew what he was. And he didn't like it.

'Lucas? What's wrong?'

Tristan blankly stared at Haley and shook his head clear. 'Nothing,' he reverted to a smile, 'so are you going to tell me what's in this besides coffee or am I going to have to guess?'

She wouldn't budge, her lips were sealed she said. Unfortunately for him.

'You should really think of getting this stuff marketed. It's lovely Haley.'

He thought he saw a slight quiver run through her body.

'Hmm.'

She turned her back to him.

He smiled. 'Are you alright? Are you cold?'

With her back turned she shook her head. 'No.'

'So you're not cold but your shivering. Interesting. What could that possibly mean then?'

'It means nothing, besides maybe I've overdosed on coffee today.'

**--**


	13. Leave me alone, I'm lonely

_**Summer Lovin'**_

**_-_**

_Disclaimer We don't own the characters or the rights to those characters. _

_--_

_Authors Note: Well everyone asked where Lucas was and guess what? We all ready had this chapter planned, so great timing on your part. _

_Please do not get confused - this is Lucas not Tristan. It's seen through Rorys point of view thus the reason for Lucas to be referred to as Tristan. _

--

--

The four passengers stared in awe at the image in front of the parked car. The river court was empty, empty and completely littered with the remains of hot dogs and general garbage.

They had missed the game. They had missed the stupid game and for what? Rory huffed in dismay, and lowered herself in her seat. 'Well we missed the game, the rain is coming down in buckets, I say we find some shelter before we're swept off into the river...'

'I agree, it looks like there might be a really bad storm heading towards us.' Tristan nodded in agreement, for the first time that night.

Ash let out a small ha, and leaned forward in her seat. 'Towards us? Dude, look out the window its already here.'

Tristan sighed and turned the ignition key. The car sputtered. Frowning Tristan tried again. Nothing.

Rory groaned. "Please tell me that always happens."

Tristan hit the steering wheel. 'Damn it. I got it tuned up a week ago.'

'So we're stuck here?' Rory asked, feeling slightly nausiated. 'In a storm, where no one knows where we are. Can we call the police or something?'

Ash shook her head and held up her mobile phone. 'No reception.'

Tim spoke up, 'how about we play twenty questions?' The group let out small groans causing Tim to become defensive. 'I was just saying.'

Ash narrowed her eyes and stared at Tim. "You know, I think hes right. Theres too much negativity going around in this car, lets play twenty questions and see how it goes from there...'

So they sat there in a fogged up car that rocked back and forth with the strong gusts of wind, glaring at each other.

They had had a question and answer time in which they had to disclose something about themselves. Rory knew it wasn't going to go well. She was right of course.

They started arguing and they hadn't stopped since. It was a vicious cycle that they couldn't seem to break free from.

'Don't look at me. I didn't say anything.' Tim raised his hand in the air retreating further in his seat.

'Fine.' Ash snapped.

'Fine.' Tristan ran a hand through his shaggy hair and looked really agitated.

'Alright,' Rory agreed then felt Tristan brush her arm as he leaned over to pick up a CD case that had fallen onto the floor next to her feet. She grimaced. 'Don't touch me.'

'I didn't even think about it.'

Contradictory to what he said, his arm just happened to conveniently slip so he could grab her knee for support. Rory shook him off and scowled. 'Augh I'll believe you more if you weren't trying to grope me.'

'Grope? Lady I'm trying to sit as far away from you as possible.'

He was still such a pig.

'Doesn't seem to be working too well.'

Ash groaned. 'Can we have a change of topic please?'

'Have you got any idea's?' Tristan asked pleased at the diversion.

'I don't know. Isn't it cold out?'

Rory frowned. 'That's your change of topic?'

'Well it's better then arguing.' Ash said annoyed, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff.

Tim shrugged. 'I don't know. It _was_ kinda lame.'

'Well Tim what do you suggest? Are you going to enlighten us with your tale of survival yet again?' Yes, Rory had a clear impression that Ash was cross.

'Well you did almost kill me.' Tim replied indignant.

'No I didn't. You haven't a scratch on you.' She pulled his jacket and roughly searched for some rips.

Tristan must have noticed this as he couldn't help but let out a sigh. 'I don't think that is the best line of conversation either. Maybe we should talk about something else.'

'Basketball.' Tim said pulling his coat closer to his body after Ash had just roughed him up.

'You mean as in the game we missed?' Ash pointed out, with a roll of her eyes.

'Yeah that's the one. I wonder who won?' Tim said not making any eye contact with anyone instead looked at the back of the passenger seat.

'Who knows, if we weren't mucking around on the side of the road arguing, we might have actually been there to witness it.' Tristan replied dryly.

This was too typical. Blame her.

Rory fumed. 'Don't turn this on me. You didn't have to stop to pick us up.'

'Like I'm not going to leave you on the side of the road. Who do you take me for?' He was almost yelling at her.

She raised her head and tried to ignore the prickly feeling behind her eyes. 'The Tristan I know too well?'

'Ah there you go again with the Tristan thing. Rory or Mary or whatever you like to call yourself, you need help. My name is Lucas.' He said shaking his head and gripping the steering wheel as if the car was actually moving.

'It's true. He's Lucas.'

'Thanks for backing me up Tim.' Tristan said looking at Rory as if they were in a popularity competition.

'I thought Lucas had dark hair.' Ash said drawing pictures on the fogged up passenger window, it sounded cute in theory but she was drawing a hangman which only suited their situation.

Tristan grimaced. 'Huh?'

By this time Rory wasn't really paying full attention. She was still thinking about Tristan's last comment to her. 'You're the delusional one. I just want you to stop talking.'

'I remember a Lucas from the Ravens and I could have sworn he had brown hair.' Ash said blankly.

'Have you all gone insane?'

'No. Unlike you.' Rory stated calmly looking him over. He was a little different to how she remembered, a little more normal? Not as assuming maybe? But he was still an idiot.

'Hey, I'm getting some bad feelings back here.' Tim said looking around cautiously like people were going to attack him if he wasn't careful.

'You are _just_ starting to have bad feelings? Where the hell have you been for the last half hour?' Ash turned on him again.

'Hey. I was just saying.'

'Tim you're absolutely right. Everyone just has to calm down.' Tristan agreed, giving her a strange look.

'What for? Isn't torturing people your favourite game.' She couldn't help it, even as she saw his face distort.

A small small formed on his lips. He was mocking her! 'You know, torturing people really isn't my thing...'

'If the shoe fits.'

He lost that sardonic smile and looked at her like _she_ was the deranged one. It wasn't her that had memory blackouts.

'I don't believe this. You know what? Since this is _my_ car and you are all _guests_ in my car then I'm setting some rules.'

'Rules?' Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Yes Rules.'

'What kinda rules?' Tim queried.

'Rules that you can't break.'

'Such as?' Ash said alerting to the new round of questions and answers.

'Well since Mary, or Rory over here...you get the picture...insists that I'm some sort of pschotic torturor it gave me a bit of an idea. If anyone so much as breathes another word about anything negative then I'm going to turn on the music so loud that you are going to want to claw your eyes out. It's not good music either. It's the loudest, crapiest noise that you can't even imagine.'

'Like what?' Rory enquired, curious.

'This,' Tristan said, raising a CD for all to see. 'It's called violin music. Not the hip stuff either. This is the old fashioned torture. Tunes you just want to run away from.'

'Why do you have violin music in your car?' Ash asked breaking into a smile.

Rory watched as Tristan looked uncomfortable. 'It was on special and I wanted to check it out.'

'You're weird dude.' Tim said joining in.

'Did I just hear a negative comment? I think I did,' Tristan said, actually looking happy. Instead of waiting for a reply he slipped the CD into the player and turned the volume knob up full.

As the screech emanating from the speakers was not only surrounding and enveloping her, it was the worst that Rory had ever heard, it pierced into her head like a thousand little needles driven directly into her brain.

Tim grabbed his head and made a strange groaning sound.

'Stop it.' Rory said trying to grab the volume knob in desperation. 'Please stop it. How on earth can you stand it?'

Tristan looked at her calmly then turned off the player, content as he watched them wither around in pain.

'Hey anything is better then listening to you people whine.'

'Well that's the sweetest thing I ever heard. I think you should think about writing for Hallmark.' Rory winced the comment out in pain. Her head was still throbbing.

'You know? That comment sounded kind of negative, don't you think?' Tristan said with a small smile. Evil should have been him middle name.

'Actually it was pretty positive.' Tim said looking green.

'In a sarcastic kind of way.' Ash said with a wink at Rory. Ash was the only one besides Tristan who didn't seem to bother about the music. 'You know Tristan I always thought Rory exaggerated about your torturous nature but now I see where she is coming from.'

Tristan looked tired, exhausted and now unbelievably angry.

'All right enough is enough. Who is this Tristan? And what in hell did this guy do to you to deserve this kind treatment?'

That was the breaking point for Rory. She threw her hands into the air, as her voice cracked with emotion. 'I can't take this anymore. First of all you're acting like you don't know me when all you could do in Chilton was harrass me.' Tears started forming in her eyes. 'Don't you hold one ounce of kindness in your body? Before you left, I started to think you were a good guy underneath. I mean I started to like you for you, but this, this is cruel and I don't think I can take anymore of your lies, because it hurts me Tristan. Its killing me to hear you say these things..."

The three of them wen't silent at the girls sudden mood swing. All but Rory, who threw open the door and jumped out into the stormy weather. Leaving them to stare as the image of the girl a head of them started to disappear into a faint blurr, as the rain smeared across the windscreen.


	14. Erase and Rewind

_**Summer Lovin'**_

--

_Disclaimer We do not, nor will we ever own One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls. _

_--_

_Authors Note: __All readers - we commend you for sticking around for this long, since the story has turned out to be a little longer than expected. We hope you enjoy this chapter and many, many more to come. _

--

Lucas quickly grabbed a hold of the door handle. What the hell was she doing? Didn't she realize the danger she was in being out in the open, while the storm was raging? He shook his head in irritation and quickly sent the two behind him a quick look. "You two stay here."

Not caring about their response, he quickly thrust open the car door, finding the action quite hard as the wind thrust against it in retaliation. Cursing, he edged out of the way and slammed it shut, instantly spotting the image of the frail brunette as she ran ahead, stumbling as the wind and rain tore at her clothes.

Running as fast as he could under the conditions, he closed in on her watching as she fell to her knees in the middle of the deserted road.

"Mary! Mary, are you all right?" He yelled as he skidded to a halt, crouching down beside her quickly as he felt the wind and rain tear at his body. Her head was bent over and she was taking in sharp breaths. Lucas stared at her in both astonishment and horror. "What were you thinking jumping out of the car like that?"

She shrugged her shoulders, refusing to make eye contact. "I don't know, I just couldn't breath. I needed some air."

Lucas rubbed the back of his head, laughing despite himself. "You're insane, you know that?" She let out another sob but this time he thought he caught a trace of laughter. He grabbed a hold of her arm. "Come on, lets get back. We're going to die if we stay out here any longer..."

"No, I don't want to go back. I just need a few more minutes."

The fact that they were standing out in the middle of a storm, the trees surrounding the road swaying to near breaking point made him think that wasn't such a great idea. Staring at her as she bit her bottom lip, he shook his head. "Rory, you'll get sick. I'm sure whatever it is you're angry at isn't worth all this."

She glanced up at him for the first time. Her eyes were red and puffy but it accentuated the blue, causing Lucas to stop and stare.

"You called me Rory," she said barely above a whisper. He almost didn't hear her.

Smiling despite the fact that the rain was pelting down on his back painfully he nodded. "Yeah, I did. I guess thats right."

"Yeah, it is," she paused. "Why are you acting like this?"

Lucas raised his eyebrows. "Like what?"

"So un-Tristan like. Military school must have been a big change for you, huh?" She asked, sniffling.

Lucas laughed again, except this time louder. "When will you accept that I'm not Tristan? Sure, I may look like the guy but whoever he is, I'm not him. My real names Lucas Scott and I was born and raised here in Tree Hill and I've never, ever, in my life been to any military school in North Carolina..."

"You have to be Tristan. There cannot be two unrelated people out there who look so similar. It's impossible."

"Well from where I'm standing I don't really like this situation either. I mean I don't think I've been insulted more in my life. But the facts stands, whether you like it or not is that just because I look like this Tristan guy doesn't make me him," he held out his hand and cocked his head to the side, watching her face, "I'm Lucas Scott, it's been an experience to meet you Rory."

"Wait, this can't be right. I feel like I've just stepped out of a television show, like, like, god what is this like? _Parent Trap_? No they were separated identical twins, Umm I don't know, _Starman_? Your not an alien are you? Taking a form of a person from my past?"

"Ah no."

"Right. I just thought I would ask to clarify that little fact. Um..so your Lucas Scott?"

"Yes I am."

She pulled some wet strands behind her ears, her cheeks flushed from the either the cold or embarrassment. "And I have been behaving so badly to you all night."

"Well..."

Rory placed a palm to her forehead and frowned furiously. "I'm sorry I'm still finding it hard to wrap my head around it. I mean this better not be some sick prank..."

"No prank Rory."

"It is just so strange and now I'm just so humiliated."

"Look..." He said, as an idea came to him.

"What?"

"A drivers license would help?"

"Proof of Identity?"

"Proof of Identity." He fumbled around his trouser pockets, finding his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans. Handing it over to her, he watched as she flipped the leather casing over her fingers tracing away the water droplets that fell on the blond staring back at her.

"Oh...Lucas Scott.' She looked at him guiltily and played with her hands. "Nice photo by the way."

"Yeah?"

"Very nice pout."

He laughed. "I didn't notice that."

"No it's definitely there."

"You want to go somewhere warm?" Lucas asked out of the blue, as she handed him his wallet back.

"The car?"

Lucas clucked his tongue. "Yeah, but somewhere with more space."

She looked away, and quickly crossed her arms over her chest. He noticed she was shaking, which was to be expected since her clothes were clinging to her body completely soaked through and through. He quickly put his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arms.

She nodded her head as she continued to stare at the wet road. "Yeah, I guess."

"Does some hot chocolate or coffee sound good to you?"

She let out another cute murmur and smiled back at him. "Coffee sounds good. Is it good coffee?"

"It beats Starbucks."

"Wow, it must be good then," She frowned. "But do you think they'll be open in this kind of weather?"

"Uh, no. Probably not. But luckily for us I have a spare key, you see my mum owns this cafe..."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, well I always get a free coffee in the morning so I'm not complaining. So how about it? We go back to the car, try not to argue and hopefully get some good coffee and dry off. That is if the ute starts..."

Rory looked relieved, the idea of a hot cup of coffee brightening her mood already. "That sounds perfect. I just...can't believe you're not Tristan. I was determined that you were. I mean if you saw him you would understand what I meant, you two look like long lost twins."

"Then I suppose I'm lucky I haven't had the privilege of that encounter," Lucas made a face. "He's really that bad?"

She choked out a laugh. "Bad is a relative term. Try evil."

He grinned at that. Getting to his feet, Lucas held his hand out to her and watched as she awkwardly got to her feet. "So now that we've had proof of identity and you actually believe me, we'll go for a little detour to Karens Cafe?"

"Sure, I mean if we can get to the car in one piece."

Lucas glanced up at the storm clouds, his eyes squinting against the downpour. "It doesn't look like its going to end anytime soon." Placing an arm around her shoulders he led her in the direction towards the car. "Come on lets go."

&


	15. Can't fight the Moonlight

-

_Disclaimer: We do not own any rights to One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls and of any other thing really. Damn shame._

-

It occurred to Peyton, only after getting into the big black truck and sitting next to a driver that had a beard longer then Santa Clause listening to Johnny Cash on repeat while taking big swigs of something from a flask that she could be sitting next to a psycho.

Come on, all she had to do was think about there were countless number of psychotic people out there.

Over history you just have to fire out names to know it wasn't a joke, take Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy and countless other evil lunatics. Also you just have to look at movies like _Scream_ and _I Know What You Did Last Summer_ to confirm her theory.

They were all very frightening and twisted in their own sick way.

Expecially _I Know What You Did Last Summer_ for reasons beyond the acting.

Like who in their right mind would dump a body into a lake after knocking them down in their car! Especially when they wern't 100 sure that he was like, dead? The care factor for others on the road was like zero for those guys. No wonder he wanted to bump them all off one by one.

She remembered leaving the cinema feeling like she should bump of everyone who ever thought about making that movie.

Then again the care factor for the old-ish truck driver was well in the nineties because he picked up a poor soaked teenager from the side of the road after being lashed with rain. Rain so hard it was like the gods decided to pour big buckets down on them, just for kicks. Though, again unsuspecting kindness could all be a ploy to lure victims. You just had to go to the newspaper or AGAIN the movies for this type of reference.

Peyton looked at her shiny flip mobile and wondered when reception was ever going to happen. How long had it been down now? Like an hour?

Sighing, she looked up and listened to Johnny Cash belt out another song about a man named Sue. Got the piss taken out on him on account of his name. Poor dude and she thought Peyton was bad.

Turning to half face the driver she put on her most innocent, lovely smile. Hoping her youthfull wonder would somehow deter any homisidal impulses.

'So..how has your day been sir? Despite the weather and all?'

Why she had decided to start a conversation was beyond her. Sometimes words just seemed to spring from her mouth as if she was some sort of automatic waterfall and you could like flip a switch.

The dude unnervingly turned to her and started to explain his very weird day. Without looking out the windscreen! In other words without watching the ROAD and without watching where he may have been driving them!

So while he looked at her, WITHOUT watching the road he explained quite calmly she must admit that he had hit a cat, chose to take it down to the vet in which they said they had to put it down, in which he told them okay, which they then turned around and said he had to pay for, in which he then told them to screw themselves and ended up raming their fence down because he was unhappy with the service. It was official. He was a psycho.

She moved in her seat. Closer to the door.

And he happened to be looking at her funny.

Peyton lowered herself in her seat and felt an odd sensation in her chest. Like her heart was going to burst through her ribcage.

Biting her lip, eyes wide, she chose to look out the window and ponder that if she jumped out of the truck and did a dive roll would she hurt herself too badly? It was wet so it should break the fall, shouldn't it? Then again if she were injured and he was a mass murderer he could just stop the truck, get out, finish her off without so much as a finger raised in defence from her. No. She couldn't jump out of the moving vehicle. Not yet anyway.

It was then that the guy started to freak her out more. IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE!

He pointed to a patch of the forest where a little hut jutted out from and said in his gruff voice.

'That there is where mi old ball and chain got hitched.' Good lord.

'Oh really?' Well at least he was semi-normal. Not the getting married in a shed but him having a wife and all.

'That was before she done gone and ran away with me best friend. Or tried to anyhow, I done gone put a stop to that.'

Peyton felt head ache and even though she really didn't want to know the end result for his wife, had a sick urge to ask anyway.

'What happened then?' She didn't know if he listened, instead he carried on like she didn't say a thing.

'She's gone now. Passed on to the great divide.' Did that mean she was dead? Murdered. He had murdered her for her sordid affair! Oh god! AND he was telling her. What did that mean? Was he going to bump her off too for spilling the beans? Why couldn't he just keep that sort of thing to himself?

'Um..that is unfortunate sir.'

'Call me Mac I done told you.'

'Oh okay.'

She started pressing the buttons on her phone, hoping some activity will somehow mysteriously restore the reception on her telephone so she could phone someone and let them know she had taken a lift from a possible mad man who smells bad. It was no use though. No amount of wishing could take her out of thissituation.

'What you got there?'

What? The thing she held in her sweaty little palms for the last five minutes twisting and turning it in every single direction for some miraculous reception?

'Cell phone.' He shook his large head.

'Hmm, I don't think you'd get much reception down this part with the weather the way is is out there.'

Oh he was cluey, I bet he knew the roads to take to cut reception too.

He looked at her again and frowned, 'why are you out here anyways?'

'A party my friend thought would like totally go off.' A roll of her eyes was in order, which she gladly provided.

She chose not to think about Brooke then, the thoughts that would appear would be to vicious for even Peyton to cope with.

'Sir, I mean Mac, would it be alright if you drop me at the next corner?'

'An leave a young thing like you in the middle of the night in a storm. It's not safe.' Safe was indeed a matter of opinion. Would she reather sit in the tanker with a person who may or may not have killed his wife in a fit of rage or take her chances with mother naure?

Too easy.

'I live just around the corner so it would be easy if you could drop me off here.'

Peyon lied and pointed deperately to the side of the road, a muddy mush of earth drenched with the soaking rain. He looked astounded. Okay so it wasn't that big of a deal.

'You live in the middle of a forest?' Peyton shifted in her seat and tried to smile, it was a horrible attempt, she caugh her reflection in the windscreen.

'Ah yeah.'

'Where abouts? In the trees?' Peyton sighed and felt sick.

'Yeah, my parents are hippies and we live in the trees.' She pleaded in her head, let her out, please let her out of the truck, damn it.

'Sure I guess. Everybodys got their own ways about them don't they?'

--

'You take care now. I wouldn't want to be in a tree right now, not with that lighning up ahead.' She didn't know if he was being serious with believing her little tale.  
Peyton shoved her hands in her pocket on the side of the road and shrugged.

'Thanks Mac. Hope everything goes well for you and sorry to hear about your wife.'

Mac waved the comment away. 'She lives down by the Grand Cannyon living it up. I wouldn't worry about her.'

He waved agains as he shifted his truck in gear and slowly took off. The great divide? Was that his terms for the Grand Cannyon? God she could almost cry. Starting to walk in the wet horrible weather she almost did too.

The term being ALMOST. Something strange did stop her.

That something was some sort of dull light filtering through the tree branches.

Was that a car among some trees?

She weaved through a few trees near the road until she stumbled upon a couple of people taking some odd shaped item wrapped up in dark tarp from the car boot.

They turned to her as she crunched her way to see what they were up to.

What was that that they held in their hands? It was awfully long and lumpy. If she were in a movie she would say it looked exactly like a dead body wrapped up in some old tarp, but that was crazy, she just totally got Mac's story screwed up.

'Who are you?' One of them asked, breathing loudly. Exursion probably, he didn't seem to appreciate the interuption.  
The way he asked sounded like she was walking on forbidden property when she was actually walking on council land along the side of the road. Peyton thought he was awfully rude.

'I'm Peyton and who are you guys?' The two looked at each other and something passed between them that made Peyton a little uncomfortable.

They looked kind of big. Almost thuggish.

They weren't dressed very well, all in black and kind of dirty. Which got her to wonder what they were doing to get themselves in such a mess. Peyton started to back away when she realised that they were walking towards her.

Walking very quickly.

--


	16. The Dark Side

_Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters of One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls._

**_-_**

_Authors Note: Thank you for the reviews, they've been lovely! _

-

Brooke looked at the pale yellow wall of Peyton's living room and frowned. 'What the hell?'

Nathan, her new found travel buddy came up behind her and looked at the wall too, trying to see what she had found, which of course was impossible because it wasn't where he was looking. Not even close.

'What?

Brooke thought Nathan would be a little smarter about his previous girlfriends antics. 'Don't you see?'

'See what? Brooke it's a wall.' Nathan said though he still searched the wall with his eyes just in case he missed clues of the SOMETHING.

Brooke spun around on him and lowered her eyes. 'She's doing this to punish me, because I made her come out tonight.'

'Brooke'

'No, it's true. That would be the only reason for her disappearance. She's probably curled up in a chair somewhere drawing in her notebook. Probably drawing what she pictured my face would be like. All teary and sad with puffy eyes and streaming mascara, the works.'

'We're in her home right now and she's not in ANY chair.'

Brooke groaned. 'I didn't say her chair did I? She's probably somewhere familiar and very happy with herself.'

'Brooke you don't know that.'

Her eyes flashed with frustration. 'Oh I know it all right.'

The old, beat up dark blue car that smelled badly of strong male odour suddenly pulled over to the side of the road and Peyton sat up straight. As apposed to her previous position of lying on her back, gleefully kicking the grating of the wire that had saved the two guys in the front seat from her wrapping her arms around their necks to cause some damage.

Peyton had known of course that the world was against her. She had to be one of the unluckiest beings alive, so in fact sitting in a back seat of some smelly old car with two thugs who had kidnapped her seemed to fit somehow. There you go, another point on her bad luck-o-meter.

The question Peyton had ratting upstairs was why had they stopped all of a sudden? She of course asked, well demanded really (well she _had_ been kidnapped, pleasantries were totally out of the window), and as per usual ignored her.

The fact that they had been driving for like ten minutes now and this was the first sign of something, well other then them picking on her (which they did really well she had to admit) unusual. How had she let the two meat-heads in front actually force her into the car was another question she had to ask herself. Apart from the dreary clothes and one of the dudes having a goatee, they weren't too bad looking. For criminals. Not that she was at all interested - well in criminals anyway. Wait, in boys for that matter. She had just gotten Nathan out of her life, she definitely wasn't ready to even start _thinking_ of another boy in that way. Well apart from Lucas, but that was a plague, a sickness that infected many a girl attending Tree Hill High.

So the kidnappers pulled to the side of the road, which should have gotten her a little frightened, you know they may be an all-right sort of bunch to look at but they could be like some perverted teens with some perverted things on their mind.

Then again, she was pretty confident they weren't going to try anything with her, considering she had been in the car all of ten minutes and all they seemed to do to her is make fun of her and roll their eyes at her reaction. So of course that begged the question as to why they had kidnapped her in the first place? and why they had suddenly pulled up to a darkened street corner? The night was getting more ridiculous as it went along. Anyway, what could they possibly be doing that didn't somehow relate to swimming?

Not surprisingly (for some strange reason) a strange guy jumped into the car, shaking off his wet hair into Peyton's face. Nice entrance, asshole.

When she got the water from her eyes with a furious hands, she glared at him and funnily enough he wasn't actually really that strange, he was actually familiar in some way. He was tall, tanned and incredibly, and she meant incredibly hot for someone who hung out with those two dropkicks sitting up front. He was also relatively dry (after the initial shake of his head) considering the weather.

So while the hot dude climbed into the back seat next to her he actually had the audacity to smile at her. The smile happened to be nice...wait. Oh oooh, she knew exactly who he was now.

'Russ Rivers? What the hell are you doing here?' She practically screamed this, which wasn't the most attractive thing to do to a hot guy but she couldn't help herself.

He kept on smiling that smile of his, classic Rivers smile she remembered from all the games she's cheered at, but a frown appeared like he was puzzled as to how she could possibly know him.

'Well hello to you to,' he responded then leaned in, 'who are you?'

Nice to be known, she had only cheered at more of a dozen of the games he played.

Scowled at the two horses ass at the front who had laughed at her, she kicked at the grating again. The two up front went into a fit of hilarity yet again. Again at her expense.

Oh ha ha she was just sooo hilarious! She pounded her arms against the caging until she was satisfied that she had irritated them enough.

'You got a tiger in the back with you Russell. I'd be careful if I were you.' The driver said, moving the car again. Russ in turn gave her an odd look. Russell? That was kind of strange. He had nice eyes, deep blue like a darkened sky. Dude did she just think that?

Shaking the stupid thought away from her mind she watched as he (Russ, the hot guy with nice hair) went back to the question at hand, not at all distracted and asked again. 'Okay, so who are you anyhow?'

She was so angry and didn't really know why. Was it the fact that he didn't recognise her? It wasn't like she was ugly, she cheered the hell out at every game and she wasn't small enough to get lost in a crowd, but still there was no hint of recognition. Sitting up and feeling her teeth grit, yet again she hissed at him.

'My name is PEYTON and I have been kidnapped by these two MORONS!'

'Kidnapped?' He asked surprised, glancing at the driver and ignoring the dirty look she threw him.

'Nah. Come on, what do you think we are?' The dude up front replied and basically insinuated that she was just one of those drama queens who over exaggerated everything. When hello who looked like they were trying to be some sort of bad ass gangsters? and her a drama queen? Please.

'Well that's what the chick said isn't it?'

Peyton felt a surge of anger yet again. Okay so she had anger management issues. 'YES! But in future I'd like to be called my real name as apposed to some derogatory sexist pig statement thank you very much.'

'Alright sweetheart,' was the reply which she kindly chose to ignore. 'Why do you believe you have been kidnapped?'

'Oh I believe I may have been kidnapped because when you get flung in the back seat of a car, while trying to resist, that kind of falls under the category of a kidnapping. I didn't want to get in this ugly and putrid I might add, car and yet here is where I find myself. Conveniently behind a metal grating.'

Russ gave the guy in the front passenger seat a look. She had no idea how to translate it, that night was all getting a little too much for her. She glanced at Russ and couldn't help but inch away from him, he was waay to good looking to be that close too in her mentally unstable condition.

'It's an old copper car,' the dude up front threw the comment to her then directed the rest of the statement to Russ. 'Well we couldn't just leave her out there when she refused a lift. What were we supposed to do?'

Excuses, excuses. Like why on earth would she except a lift from two guys who looked like they were grave diggers? Hello, after Mac who could blame her?

'Throw me in the back seat of course, like any normal Neanderthal would do. The better question to ask is what the hell where you doing out in the middle of nowhere anyway?'

Turning to Russ she was sort of surprised (only sort-of, she did know of his reputation) that he looked as guilty as the other two. Typical guy!

'It was just a prank.'

'Good lord. Tell me the thing in the boot isn't the thing that went horribly wrong?' They all burst out laughing, including Russ, so she couldn't NOT join in. Then stopped when she realised it wasn't funny and scowled.

'Enough already. What the hell is in your trunk?'

'Yeah like that's ever going to happen.'

'What's the big dark secret? You didn't murder anyone did you? Because if you did then I wouldn't mind being dropped off right over there. Considering, as you say I haven't been kidnapped.'

'Can't do that love. Look out the window, it's pretty wet out there.' The driver replied, sending a look to her from his rear view mirror.

'You know what, I think I will take my chances.' Peyton said with a glower.

Russ said something she didn't quite catch due to the music goatee guy turned up real loud, crappy music she might add, but they seemed to be in agreement about something. She was suspicious.

'Tweet, tweet.' Said the driver.

'Tweet, tweet.' said the front seat passenger.

Where these guys off their heads or what?

'What the hell does tweet tweet mean?'

Russ leaned in again, sending an aroma of rolled tobacco.

'It means we got someone's mascot in our boot.' He replied with a lopsided grin that just added to his sensual appeal. She thought it would have been impossible and yet there it was. Apart from her apparent disgusting lust, it dawned on her what the tweet tweeting was all about and how it could somehow relate to a certain mascot with feathers.

'You stole our mascot?'

The three guys laughed. Laughed like it was actually funny.

'Your not serious right?' shaking her head she continued, 'You not only stole our mascot but it's shoved in the boot of your car?' They all laughed again while Peyton sat there absolutely gob smacked. It seemed they though nothing funnier then to kidnap a bird costume and try and bury it.

'What kind of mascot is a raven anyhow?' The dude up the front said.

'One that brings school spirit. God I can't believe you would do something so pointless and stupid! What did it ever do to you?'

'School spirit! Wait while I barf.' Russ said flicking some ash from his newly lit cigarette out of the partially open window, helping to freeze her ass off.

'That's a lovely attitude.' Peyton retorted folding her arms across her chest and shivered from the droplets of rain that hit her like she was some water magnet.

'That's life. How the hell is some dude dressed up as a bird supposed to bring school spirit?' He asked aloud like some Greek philosopher. Except it was a stupid philosophy and Peyton was still stunned about the bird in the boot.

'Well I don't know but it does so you HAVE to return it.'

'No way!'

'You could get into trouble for doing stuff like that you know.'

'NO!' The guy at the front said with his hands on each side of his face, looking shocked and scared. For effect of course. She was sure he didn't care in the slightest.

'Who are you guys anyway? I mean you can't be normal. The know the whole stealing school mascots has kind of put you in the crazy category.'

Russ was obliging enough to point to the guy in front of him, the guy that had been taunting her most of the journey, 'That there is my older brother Des and that there,' pointing to the driver with the goatee, 'is my older brother Fin and we like stealing mascots because we hate those suckers.'

Peyton rolled her eyes and wondered how she had managed to find herself in a car full of delinquent River boys? Her luck was right on target yet again.

'And that is Peyton boys, if you haven't already heard her scream it two thousand times already.' Des said. Russ made himself that wee bit more comfortable next to her. Sliding down the seat, long legs apart, and a cigarette dangling near her knees.

'That's very nice of you, smoking while a non smoker is in the car.' He looked over at her, the corners of his full lips lifted.

'I do my part for the comfort of others,' leaving in closer to her he half whispered the question to her. 'So Peyton, are you going to help us bury it or what?'

'Or what,' she replied dryly. There was no way she was having a hand in helping to bury her school mascot. A bird costume or not.

'Yeah you will. Your an accomplice now.'

'I am not!'

'Yeah you are. You've seen the body, you have the information. You turn yourself in, I could see you doing some community service.'

'You only get in trouble if you've done something wrong,' Peyton said with her fists clenched. 'And I wasn't the one stealing big fake bird costumes.'

'Come on. It would be fun. I know deep down you hate that feathery dude as much as we do.' It was seriously like speaking to the devil. That was if the devil were three brothers.

'No.'

'Come on. You're strong, you got some good healthy arms on you. Good diggin' arms.' Des said with a laugh.

'Shut up.'

'Ooooh.' So childish it made her seriously want to harm him.

'I mean it. I am not helping you in your stupid plot to bury a bird.' As she was pouting out the window, a car pulled up next to them at the lights they had hit. It was dark but she could see the black and white markings of the metallic vehicle as it came closer.

Cops.

Cops were a good thing in a kidnapping situation. Peyton waved at them, quickly trying to get their attention when two seconds later she felt her arms pinned behind her back and a voice against the back of her neck.

'Could you not do that.' Too late buddy. Look who got out of their cars?

--


	17. Halo

**_Summer Lovin'_**

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_Disclaimer We don't own One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls. The only thing we do own is our storylines._

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**Authors note: Glad you're liking the Tristan and Haley-ness guys! It felt like a bit of a risk considering it hasn't been done before and we didn't know how it would be taken. But we like risks and we're glad you do too. :) **

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The moon hung fervently in the gloomy, bitter sky. Darkness weaved through the heavy clumps of clouds and they sat fat and happy in blue, purple and grey.

Haley peered out the window, craning her neck to check out the imminent damage the looming storm clouds threatened to bring. Her friend who was half undressed and seemed to be content remaining that way moved next to her and witnessed the very same bleak scene.

"I have a gut feeling we're going to be here for a very long time." He replied, appearing not at all nervous; worried or frightened about the situation. Unlike her.

"Yeah I know." Haley replied lowering her forehead to the steamy windowpane and couldn't hold in a sigh that escaped her pouting lips.

"You don't exactly sound pleased to being stuck here with me." He said. Was that a defensive tone she heard in his playful voice?

"No. No I'm fine being stuck here with you. What I'm not pleased about is being stuck - full stop. I can't believe this could have happened today."

Lucas ran a hand through his short spiky hair that sent slight muscles moving down his long torso. Haley couldn't help but notice with curiosity though regretted it a second later when she felt his eyes on her.

Feeling a hot flush enter her face she turned to the outside dreariness once again.

"Well no one can predict when a storm is going to hit. Apparently."

The rain started lashing once again, and it hit the glass with the voracity of tiny pebbles being thrown at a bedroom window by an eager young lover.

Haley turned to him and tried a smile. "I know Luke. I know. I just had this thing in my head about what I thought tonight was going to be like for me and yeah I know I didn't have a lot of time to think about it but you know me, I over think everything. I created the most unlikely scenario in my head as quickly as the reality of it would blow up in my face."

Lucas frowned; an uncertain smile entered his lips that translated to the universal question of "huh?"  
Surprisingly though, and unfortunately, Luke answered correctly. "Okay Haley, tell me what you though tonight was going to be like."

"What? Oh no no no no."

"What? You can't share this information with your so-called best friend? What type of relationship is that if you can't be honest?"

"Yeah well it's embarrassing and you wouldn't be happy with me. Not in the slightest."

"Embarrassing? Me not being happy with it? Jesus Haley what were you planning?"

"Nothing! Shut up already."

Lucas seemed to get bored with the deep and meaningful she thought he was starting to delve into, and instead grabbed a piece of her hair and pulled her towards him softly.

"Oh like that is it? And here I was thinking you were a good girl."

Haley shook her head and bit back a smile. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

"Actually I think we are too much alike. I'm not the only one who thinks way too much." She was a good sort of girl; she didn't need to say it aloud.

Luke seemed thrown by this though, for some peculiar reason. He let the strands of her hair slip in through his fingers, smiling softly and strolled to one of the cafe chairs and took a seat like a man with all the time in the world. Which wasn't too far off.

"Haley."

Haley realised she was smiling when he said her name. She didn't understand why but it was there and she couldn't stop it. She was catching some of his craziness.

"What is it?"

"Tell me what your plans for tonight were?"

She scoffed him and fled to the other side of the room and took a seat. They sat there staring at each other, grinning for some peculiar reason. What was wrong with her? This behaviour was so weird it was indescribable.

"What will you give me in return?"

Lucas's eyes glistened. 'What do you want?'

"Hmm…I'll have to think about that one."

"Well whatever it is you want, you'll get. That's a promise. Now you have to tell me."

"Straight to the point I see. Okay, fine. I was kind of hoping that I would meet up with someone. Someone that I really like, and we could  
talk and stuff." The look on Lucas's face changed to what? She didn't know but it wasn't happy anyway and she knew why.

"Right."

"I know you don't like him Luke but I do and that's an important thing right?"

"This is that brown haired guy who laughed his ass off when I quite possibly had a broken nose?"

Haley frowned. "Don't do this Luke. I know you don't like Nathan but he is your brother and…"

**--**

_TBC_


	18. Kiss, kiss

**_Summer Lovin'_**

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_Disclaimer:__We don't own One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls._

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This statement left the two in an awkward silence. Well that's the only way she could describe it, since the air between them could have been cut with a knife.

"There mustn't be much of a resemblance," he stated after a while, causing Haley to release the breath that she had been holding onto. Complete and utter relief.

"Yeah well, sometimes it's easier to see then others. Like right there! That smirk, uh huh. It's got Nathan written all over it."

His eyebrows lifted when she said this and he instantly pointed to his face.

"Two words for you, _Haley_. Tristan DuGrey. I invented this smirk," he said, causing Haley to laugh.

It wasn't long before the subject was dropped and forgotten and a more interesting one was replaced. Thank god.

Haley watched the boy next to her, so relaxed, so at ease with himself as he sat sprawled out on the sofa next to her, half-naked. His arms behind his head, focusing on a dangling light from the ceiling while chatting non-stop about things she had never heard of.

Mostly about room mates that he either created in his head or else had met in this double life that he supposedly had. One that Haley obviously wasn't a part of. Shifting uncomfortably on the sofa with her arms crossed over her chest she wondered if the feeling that was welling in the pit of her stomach, the one that was sending heat waves throughout her body, was jealousy.

Crazy as it was, she felt really pissed off that he was doing this to her. Whether or not it was in his head, it was hurting her.

"I wonder what Peyton and Brooke are doing? Do you think they would have gotten back home all right?" Haley interrupted with relish.

Lucas stopped, turned his eyes to her and scratched at his short, blond though utterly wayward hair, a look of confusion flickered in his cool blue eyes then was quickly overturned with a smile.

"Oh your friends, well I'm sure they would have made it back all right. They had experienced drivers at the wheel I suspect."

Haley narrowed her eyes. "My friends? Well they are alright I'll give you that but in latent terms, I think they are actually _your_ friends."

Again the puzzlement returned to his face, like the thought of being friends with girls was above and beyond him.  
"Right. Well then I'm not so sure. That is if I instructed them on driving too."

She tried to hold back her smile, but the way the earnest jackass said it she couldn't help herself.

"No, that gift was bestowed to me and me alone."

There was a pause in conversation as Luke mulled this statement over in his brain.

"What else was bestowed to me and me alone?" Again the sexual innuendo. Haley tried to put it down to being a Sixteen-year-old guy, not having a girlfriend, and as far as she knew not having the experience of some of his other peers. Nathan, for example.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently sitting up a little straighter and kicking off her shoes so she could fold them under her lap. Lucas followed what she was doing with some deal of interest and smiled.

"What is it that Lucas has ever done for you that no other boy has?"

With her face blank from emotion she replied. "Be my best friend."

Whatever it was that he had consumed that night seemed to vanish from his attitude. She could see his jaw move beneath the taunt flesh of his face with some unknown emotion.

"You would hate this guy I know then," he finally said.

"I know all the guys you know, Luke."

"Not this one," he said shifting his weight and throwing a pillow to the other couch in an almost irritated manner.

"Oh, and what is this mystery guy like then?"

Smiling with no humour he lowered his eyes. "He doesn't consider girls to be friends material."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't know. All I know is he's good looking, brash, a real ladies man but has no idea how to handle the ones that he really wants. The ones he likes he pisses off and the ones he doesn't care about he gets because he knows whatever he says is going to be witty, smart, arrogant and utterly appealing."

Frowning, she was about to interrupt this spiel but it continued before she had a chance.

"He winds up the ones he likes, for some reason he does it and has no idea why. Driving them away of course so he's left feeling like shit and the only time in his life he's left wanting to be some Dean."

"Some Dean?" Haley was puzzled by this comment. She didn't think he meant he wanted to be head of a university.

"Yeah. Real asshole, wimp, whiney as hell but knows what to do to get the girls he loves to love him back. What a fucker."

She got up and walked to the other side of the room to stare out the window. What the hell was happening here? She couldn't take much more of this double-dutch.

"Haley?"

&&&

Haley was standing near the windowpane, fogging it up slightly from her breathing. When he called out to her she turned around and looked at him with her large dark eyes. She was beautiful there was no doubt about that, but there was a hint of anger in her eyes that he knew all too well.

"I'm sorry."  
She kept her stony face. "For what?"

"For loading off on you all night. You probably don't want to hear my shit anyway."

She walked up to him quickly and he was expecting a slap in the face or something, but instead she knelt beside the couch and grabbed his hands.

"That's it Luke. This is not you. What you have been telling me is scaring me; you don't know these people. Deans or room mates from school. God I'm worried about you, I don't want to see you like this."

Tristan nodded his head and tried on a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Well this is me."

"You have to work with me here Luke. What you're telling me is not real, it's a lie you're telling yourself."

Tristan laughed. "You know that's what I tell myself everyday."

Haley looked royally pissed off now.

"Fine you know self-destruct for all I care. Go on do it. You seem to like torturing me tonight so why not go that extra step." Haley pounced off the floor and was seething.

Tristan too jumped up from his couch and grabbed her face.

"Fine, but you asked for it," he murmured before he met her lips with his own, pressing gently at first to find a reaction, when he found none of the negative, pressed harder, opening them slowly and softly tilted her head slightly so he could delve deeper.

It was electrifying. He hadn't felt like this about a kiss for a long, long time.

They stood there for some unknown amount of time; hands wrapped in each other's hair before she pulled away. Her huge eyes were now even wider with fear that was followed by some sort of horrified noise escaping her lips. Not to mention a few tears that trickled down her face.

This felt seriously like he had stepped back in time. Except without the party and the piano.

"Oh god." She ran from the room to a staircase at the back of the cafe.

Tristan watched her as he collapsed on the couch.

"Christ not again."

Putting his elbows to his knees he held his head in his hands and felt like cursing the world. "DuGrey you sick fuck. Stop doing this to yourself."

Getting up from the sofa he made his way to the bathroom to splash some water on his face and tried to think about how to try and calm Haley down.

&&&

The car came to a halt outside the familiar café, causing Lucas to grip the steering wheel in relief. Even though Rory had become more accommodating since their small confrontation in the storm the journey still hadn't been a good one, with Tim letting off and stinking up the small space less then ten minutes after they had gotten the car started.

Lucas glanced quickly around at the others; he noticed the two at the back were sitting as far away from each other as physically possible, and Rory was just - he didn't really know what Rory was doing. She was busy staring at something outside the window, something that he himself couldn't pin point.

"So, this is it,' he said matter of factly, still watching Rory curiously.

"Thank god, any more time stuck in this small confined space with _him _and I might spontaneously combust." Ashley said, while shoving Tim in the arm with a contorted look on her face. "Fart one more time and I'll kill you."

He looked offended. "At least it warmed up the car..."

The two front seat passengers grimaced as the two in the back started shouting at each other, which shouldn't have been that obvious since they had practically been at each others throats all night.

Lucas was about to open his door when he felt small tap on his arm and glanced over at Rory who gave him a shy smile. "I thought you said your mom closed up?"

He smiled back at her. "Yeah, she did. Why?"

"I was just wondering because there is a light coming from your second storey window." She said, indicating with her hand where she was talking about. Her blue eyes narrowed and she ran a hand through her dark hair. "Safe or unsafe?"

Ashley must have heard what they were talking about, and put her hand up to Tim's face to silence him. "You think there's a looter, Ror?"

It was Lucas's turn to frown, his eyes narrowing into slits as he peered out at the blurry screen at the light that escaped the bathroom window. "Maybe I should check it out first. You two wait in the car. Tim you coming?"

Without realising it, Ash grabbed at an unsuspecting Tim's arm and shook her head. "Oh no you don't. What happens if the guy comes running out of the shop and tries to break into the car? We would have no protection."

Lucas sighed in irritation, "fine. Tim stay with the girls. Make sure they don't do anything stupid."

He received a glare at this, particularly from Rory, but he got out of the car into the storm before he could hear any more bickering. The car door closed without him having to do anything; he shrugged and ran up to the front entrance of his mom's shop, ready to take out his keys when he realised it was already unlocked.

He grinded his teeth together as he slowly opened the door.

--

**TBC**


	19. Still Waiting

**_Summer Lovin'_**

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_Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to One Tree, Gilmore Girls or Resident Evil - that includes characters._

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_Authors Note: Long time no see, but I guess you guys are used to that by now - or at least you should be. This story has been going on for **years** and we can safely say it should be off our hands by the next five or so chapters. Then we can call it complete and who knows, there may even be a sequel (lol)._

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Nathan slipped into something more comfortable. Which happened to be in the couch with a play station console in his mitts.

Brooke groaned and jumped onto the couch next to him.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like Brooke?"

"Yeah it looks like you hooked up a generator so you could play the play station. Have you even thought why we are actually in Peyton's house? Don't you remember?"

He looked at her like she had gone crazy. "To wait for Peyton to come home. We phoned the police, they told us she has to be gone for at least 48 hours before they can actually start doing something."

"This is not a missing person case. This is a girl lost in a storm. Don't they even care?"

Nathan motioned for her to move over slightly, so he could spread himself out more and leaned over to rummage through the games that lay in a pile beneath the television set.

He saw something he liked. "I'm sure Peyton will be fine, Brooke. What do you say we have a little game of Resident Evil four while we wait." He lifted the case of blood and gore up for her to view and she narrowed her eyes her mouth dropping slightly.

"Are you insane?"

"No, I'm just a little tired. Resident evil is fun trust me."

She looked at the case again and sighed. "Fine. Put it on. I'm sure it's riveting." It was said dryly to no effect.

Nathan smirked. "It'll blow your mind."

She couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, so she just shrugged her shoulders and ushered him to hurry up and get it over with.

He handed her the controls and she looked at them back to the grinning face.

"What the hell? I'm not playing a stupid game. Not when my friend is M.I.A."

"It'll take your mind off it."

She snorted. "You know you are sounding very much like some anti-Christ right now. Fine give it to me."

She snatched the controls and Nathan raised himself slowly out of the couch and turned the volume up a bit louder. Swishing around in her seat a bit to get comfortable, Brooke leaned forward and watched the picture come up on the television with this sexy looking character on screen.

"Ooh I like this game."

Nathan rolled his eyes and sat on the floor by her feet. "Now Brooke, kill everything you see. Just point and click."

It was Brooke's turn to roll her eyes. "Pssht, easy."

Clicking the button that said 'new game' Brooke felt an instant shudder go through the controls she was holding and a twang of panic went through her body. What was she getting herself into?

_Resident Evil…_

---

"Nathan what the hell are those things? What do I click, what do I click!!"

"Hold the R1 button down and click the X."

"DIE you suckers. DIE!"

Nathan watched on in amusement as a morbid fascination over took the once peppy girl as she shot the stake holding men, even after they were dead on the ground.

"Easy Brooke. They're dead, don't waste bullets."

Brooke let out a pent up breath of air. "Just wanted to make sure, those little fuckers jump right back up."

"Oh-kay," Nathan said with laugh. "You know you don't act like a girl on this game."

"What do you mean," Brooke said only half paying attention, she stuck out her tongue and was making her ultra hot character Leon run faster.

"I mean, Peyton for instance runs behind the couch whenever those guys start moaning."

She smiled and shot more zombies down. "Yeah well, I don't know. Shut up Nathan you're wrecking my concentration here."

He sighed and picked up a record that was lying on the ground and threw it across the room. He was bored and unfortunately Brooke had taken over his position on the play station; Nathan regretted giving her the controls in the first place.

Plus she was getting a good score, it was pretty impressive if not kind of irritating. Nathan struggled in some of the things that Brooke was just breezing through.

One thing he knew for sure is never give Brooke a gun when she's pissed off.

The brunette laughed when she took down a chainsaw wielder and said. "You know, you're right. Waiting is probably best."

Nathan looked at the clock on the wall and it read 12:40 a.m.

Still no sign of Peyton, no call, no nothing.

He wondered what the others were up to…….

---


End file.
